Barcelona's decision to drop a planned tribute to Spain's World Cup winners in their first home match of the season drew attention. Instead, at Camp Nou, a local group organized an event supporting the estelada flag, a symbol of Catalonia's independence movement.
According to a club statement, they had no intention of proceeding with the honor ceremony after a fan had an estelada flag confiscated by police before last weekend's match against Elche. The young supporter confronted police, was struck with a baton, and then arrested.
About 10,000 small flags were handed out to fans before Thursday's match against Athletic Bilbao at Camp Nou. In addition, several large flags and banners appeared in the stands. As the national anthem played, fans raised the flags high. Before the game, thousands of people marched nearby with independence symbols.
In an official statement, Barcelona called the confiscation of the estelada flag regrettable, as it is a “legal symbol and displaying it is a legitimate act of free expression.” The club also stressed that “the flag itself cannot be seen as inciting hatred or violence.” They deemed the arrest procedure “disproportionate” and the use of force “lacking necessity and proportionality.”
The incident quickly spilled into politics, with several local politicians speaking out. Barcelona president Joan Laporta emphasized that the activity “in support of the estelada” was peaceful and reflected the free expression of the Catalan people. He said the club did not directly organize the event, and added that the current moment was “not appropriate” to honor the Spanish players, as “football must unite, not create conflict.”
Eight Barcelona players were part of the Spain squad that claimed their second World Cup title: Joan García, Eric García, Pedri, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi, Rodri, Dani Olmo, and Lamine Yamal. Other Spanish clubs, in coordination with the Spanish Football Federation, honored their champions with trophy displays and the presence of coach Luis de la Fuente.
