Barcelona is joining a strike to protest against the Spanish government’s actions in Catalonia’s independence vote.
Also, outspoken defender Gerard Pique was jeered by spectators at Spain’s training camp in Madrid on Monday.
Barcelona said none of its professional or youth teams will practice on Tuesday, and the club headquarters will be closed as a reaction to government attempts to stop the referendum on Sunday. Officials said more than 890 civilians and some 430 members of the police force were injured.
Girona also suspended practice on Tuesday, and Espanyol, the other Catalan club in the Spanish league, will have its players undergo physical activities behind closed doors at its training camp.
Pique, who supported the referendum, was booed constantly as Spain practiced. He endured chants, sometimes laced with expletives, of “Spain is your nation.” Some held cards against him, including one that read “Out Pique.” Policed deemed one of the cards too offensive and removed it.
Pique is often jeered by fans when Spain plays outside of Catalonia.
He was in tears on Sunday after the Spanish league game against Las Palmas as he talked about confrontations between Catalan voters and police, who used batons and fired rubber bullets to try and stop voters across the northeastern region. He criticized police again on Monday on Twitter.
Pique said after on Sunday that if the national team considered him a nuisance, he would have no problem stepping aside. Spain coach Julen Lopetegui has previously defended Pique when the player’s loyalty to Spain has been questioned.
Spain is preparing for World Cup qualifiers, the next on Friday against Albania in the southeastern city of Alicante.
Barcelona tried to postpone its home match on Sunday during the referendum but the league denied its request, so it closed Camp Nou to spectators to send a protest message and avoid losing points and being sanctioned. It beat Las Palmas 3-0.
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu said the decision to play behind closed doors was one of the hardest he had to make at the club. He consulted club officials, coaches and players.
“We knew that an empty Camp Nou would send a powerful message,” he said in a news conference on Monday. “Everybody would be asking about what was happening in Catalonia. The game was broadcast around the world. It was an extraordinary measure for an extraordinary moment.”
Many club members didn’t want the team to play at all on Sunday, but then it would forfeit the three points from the match and risk losing more points from a sanction.
Bartomeu said an empty stadium was the best way to show the club was not pleased with the incidents in Catalonia.
“The news of the suspension would last only one minute,” Bartomeu said. “In the end, what we did lasted for 90 minutes.
“This is why Barcelona is more than a club.”
Bartomeu avoided talking about Barcelona’s future in the Spanish league if Catalonia declares independence. The league has already said it may no longer be able to accommodate Barcelona.
The majority of voters called for the region’s independence, but Spain doesn’t recognize the referendum as legit.
One of the main symbols of Catalonia, Barcelona has openly backed the region’s rights to hold the referendum.
Barcelona’s employees on Monday held a 15-minute strike to condemn the violence used by authorities.
Espanyol said it will respect its employees’ decision on whether to strike, while Girona said the entire club will be closed.
“The club condemns the violent and repressive actions carried out Sunday in Catalonia and shows its support and solidarity with the country’s citizens and institutions,” Girona said in a statement.
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Barcelona to join Catalonia strike, Pique jeered in Madrid
Barcelona to join Catalonia strike, Pique jeered in Madrid
Real Madrid edge Valencia to stay on Barca’s tail, Atletico slump
- After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals
BARCELONA: Kylian Mbappe scored his 23rd goal of the season in La Liga to help Real Madrid claim a battling 2-0 win at Valencia on Sunday and close the gap to leaders Barcelona to one point.
Third-place Atletico Madrid slumped to a 1-0 defeat at home to Real Betis, three days after thrashing the Andalusian side in the Copa del Rey, falling further away from the top two.
After Spanish champions Barca had beaten Mallorca on Saturday, Alvaro Arbeloa’s Madrid eked out a tight victory at Mestalla to keep the pressure on their arch-rivals.
Missing suspended forward Vinicius Junior and injured midfielder Jude Bellingham, Los Blancos lacked sparkle but did enough to claim three points on Spain’s east coast.
Alvaro Carreras put the visitors ahead midway through the second half and Mbappe struck late on to seal their win.
“It was going to be a game where we had to have a lot of patience. I think it was a win that came because of how solid we were, and our focussed performance,” said Arbeloa.
“I think that we were fair winners.”
England international Trent Alexander-Arnold made his return after injury as a substitute in the second half of Madrid’s victory.
Arda Guler and Mbappe had chances in the first half, while Madrid right-back David Jimenez, from the club’s youth academy, came closest to scoring but was denied by goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.
Midway through the second half, Carreras conjured a goal out of nothing to give Madrid the lead.
Coming in from the left, the defender used his weaker right foot to stroke the ball inside Dimitrievski’s near post.
Valencia might have levelled but Lucas Beltran’s effort on the stretch clipped the post.
Madrid eventually secured the three points in stoppage time as Brahim Diaz teed up La Liga’s top scorer Mbappe to finish from close range.
“Right now he’s the best player in the world, for what he’s showing day after day and game after game,” said Arbeloa, who reiterated that Mbappe could live up to his boyhood idol Cristiano Ronaldo’s legacy at Real Madrid.
“As I’ve said before, it seemed like Cristiano was something alien, impossible to equal, and that nobody would get close, but Kylian is on a good path... it’s not easy, obviously, but if anyone can, it’s Kylian.”
Valencia’s fans, some of whom had waved white handkerchieves during the match in protest at the club’s situation, headed for the exits with Los Che 17th, one point above the drop zone.
“It’s normal that (the fans) are nervous, I would be too,” admitted Valencia captain Jose Gaya to DAZN.
Revenge mission
Antony’s first-half strike helped Betis win at Atletico, earning his side revenge for their cup mauling, and leaving Atletico 13 points behind leaders Barcelona.
Betis, fifth, continued their push toward the top four, now trailing fourth-placed Villarreal by four points, although they have played two more matches than the Yellow Submarine.
Diego Simeone’s Atletico waltzed into the Copa del Rey semifinals with a hefty 5-0 win at Betis on Thursday, but this was a far closer affair at Atletico’s Metropolitano stadium.
“It’s a tough defeat to take after the great game we had in the cup. We weren’t as good as the other day,” admitted Atletico captain Koke to Movistar.
“They set up a lot tighter at the back... We had very few chances and they played a great game.”
Betis coach Manuel Pellegrini made five changes to the team which crumbled at home and his side were determined to prove a point in the Spanish capital.
“I’m very happy for the goal and even more so for the victory — it’s been a very difficult week,” said Antony, who curled home after 28 minutes, beating Jan Oblak at his near post.
“We had to change, there was no other option... we’re sorry (to the fans) for the game in the cup.”
Atletico had the ball in Betis’s net with 15 minutes to go when Diego Llorente headed Giuliano Simeone’s cross into his own net, but Antoine Griezmann was judged to be fractionally offside and interfering with play.
Elsewhere, Athletic Bilbao beat Levante 4-2, Sevilla and Girona shared a 1-1 draw, and Getafe won 2-0 at Alaves.
