Barcelona's La Liga fixture against Las Palmas was played behind closed doors on Sunday amid violent clashes between protesters and police during the Catalan independence referendum. The Spanish government had declared the vote illegal, and police were deployed to prevent voting, leading to over 350 reported injuries.
Barcelona requested a postponement of the match, citing safety concerns and solidarity with citizens denied the right to vote. However, the Professional Football League refused, prompting the club to play without spectators in the 98,000-capacity Nou Camp. Club president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the league's refusal meant the team would have faced a six-point penalty if they had not played.
Players from both teams warmed up wearing shirts in the colours of the Catalan flag. Barcelona's squad emerged for the team photo in the yellow and red striped shirts. Former Barcelona player Gary Lineker described the scenes in Catalonia as 'truly awful' and 'disgusting' on Twitter.
The match itself was played in an eerie silence, with only the sound of passes and challenges echoing around the empty stadium. Barcelona won 3-0, with goals from Sergio Busquets, Lionel Messi, and an own goal. However, the football seemed incidental as social media focused on the disturbing images of police violence across the region.
