The La Liga giant, Barcelona, and other Catalan sides Espanyol and Girona have made a decision to partake in the general strike in Catalonia on Tuesday.
The Catalan clubs decided to go on strike due to Spanish police violently trying to prevent Catalans from voting in Sunday’s independence referendum, which was deemed illegal by the Spanish government.
More than 840 people needed medical assistance following violent charges by Spanish civil guard officers in ugly scenes as part of Spain’s deepest constitutional crisis for decades.
While many players from Barcelona’s first team will leave to join their national squads ahead of the upcoming international fixtures, the remaining players and club staff will not attend the training centre on Tuesday.
“FC Barcelona joins the country wide strike called for by the Table for Democracy and therefore the club will be closed tomorrow,” Barcelona tweeted on Monday.
“None of the professional teams or the youth teams at FC Barcelona will train tomorrow at the Ciutat Esportiva.”
Espanyol and Girona, also based in Catalonia, released statements on Monday declaring their intentions to join the general strike as well.
In protest at the violent events on Sunday, Barcelona held their La Liga clash with Las Palmas behind closed doors, winning 3-0.
Meanwhile Barcelona and its members would have to decide which soccer league to play in if Catalonia gained independence from Spain, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu said on Monday. “In the case of independence, Catalan teams in La Liga – Barcelona, Espanyol and Girona – will have to decide where they want to play: in the Spanish league or a neighbouring country like Italy, France or the (English) Premier League,” he said.
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