The cheering stands will be empty. This was reported by the club in an official statement in which it explains that l’Espai d’Animació will be closed sine the until “they have fulfilled their obligations.” By this they refer to the 21,000 euros fine that the Barça club requested from the five entertainment groups: Almogàvers, Front 532, Nostra Ensenya and Supporters Barça, a stand with between 500 and 600 fans. This total corresponds to various fines accumulated last season from 14 different disciplinary files. The clubs had until this past Monday at 11:59 p.m. to pay the amount claimed. The payment has not been made.
Given the resignation of the entertainment groups, the club has denied them entry to the Champions League match that will be played this Tuesday night at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. “Given the content of the agreements accepted and signed between the Club and the entertainment groups, to recover the amount of the sanctions imposed on the Club for its behavior in the stands during last season,” the club explains in a note. “During this process,” they continue; “The groups have been granted up to three different deadlines to fulfill their obligations; The last one expired yesterday at midnight without any result.” “At the same time, we reiterate to the groups in question the club’s full availability, once they have fulfilled their obligations, to discuss the Espai d’Animació situation with them,” the statement closes.
Barcelona already warned the different groups at the end of October, a few days before the derby between Espanyol and Barcelona, through different letters. A warning that came shortly after the racist insults at the Santiago Bernabéu against Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Ansu Fati from a corner on the field, and that, as reported by the National Police. Already in Laporta’s first term, upon his arrival in 2003, the Boixos Nois were eradicated from the Camp Nou. Now, during the second, the president’s board of directors acts to try to prevent violent and discriminatory attitudes from being repeated in their own cheering stands. All this just a few days before the celebration of Barça’s 125th anniversary.
