Bartomeu explains his decision to play to enclosed door

The past Sunday 1 October lived a situation of maximum intensity in Catalonia. The referendum by the independence went on in spite of the opposition of the Government of Spain, causing police and numerous loads incident that left almost a thousand of injured. In the sportive appearance, the Barça decided to act and demand to LaLiga the suspension of his party in front of the UD The Palms, but after not arriving to an agreement and under threat of sanction, the Barcelona decided to play to enclosed door.

The decision did not like at all to the numerous fans that gathered in the outside of the Camp Nou, but in a never lived situation in the history the terracings kept vacias and the meeting finish contesting. A day afterwards and after a extraordinary meeting of the Managerial Board, Josep Maria Bartomeu has appeared in press conference to give explanations on the subject.

This is the unabridged speech of Josep Maria Bartomeu

"I appear today after the extraordinary meeting of the Managerial Board that have celebrated this noon. You know that it was foreseen for tomorrow Tuesday, but have decided to advance it in front of the exceptional situation that lives the country and, in consequence, also, our Club".

"In the first place, I want to insist in the positioning of the FC Barcelona in relation with the situation that lives Catalonia".

"We remember that in the last years have adhered us to the National Pact by the Right to Decide and to the Pact by the Referendum. Also we have worked of way decided so that the right to the freedom of expression could exert of full way in the Camp Nou".

"On 20 September past, as a result of the registers in headquarters of the Government of Catalonia and of the arrests that produced , condemn any action that could prevent the full exercise of the right to the freedom of expression and to the right to decide. And we manifest our support to all the people, entities and institutions that work to guarantee these rights. Always supporting to the majority of the village of Catalonia, from the maximum respect to the plurality of our social mass".

"On the same line yesterday we express our rejection and our more forceful conviction in front of the gravity of the facts that lived in the country, with the abusive use and indiscriminado of the strength to prevent the exercise of the right to the vote of million citizens".

"In this context, the FC Barcelona decide that we had to take some measure that allowed visibilizar ours indignation first of all the world. There were a lot of things at stake, and had to treat it with the different estamentos of the Club: directive, executives, technicians and players. Finally, I decided that we would play the party, but of an exceptional way: To enclosed door".

"I comprise perfectly that many of our partners and fans preferred the option to suspend the party. Therefore I have to say you that this was one of the most difficult decisions that have had to take like president of the Barça. We contemplate very seriously the option to postpone the party, but do not achieve that the League of Professional Football approved our application".

"Arrived to this point, decided that we would play to enclosed door because we thought that the image of a football match in a Camp Nou entirely empty supposed an act of responsibility and a way to do visible our rejection in front of the exceptional and inadmissible situation that lived in Catalonia".

"Today we know that the transmission of the party could see in 174 countries of all the world, with million people following the excepcionalidad of the party and means of international reference explaining the singularity of what lived in the Camp Nou.
From the Managerial Board regret the annoyances that this decision have been able to ocasionar to our partners, peñistas and fans, and appreciate his understanding".

"Today the Managerial Board has accepted the resignation of the vice-president Carles Vilarrubí and of the commissioner of the Barça Innovation Hub, Jordi Monés. To both appreciate them his dedication in all these years of service to the Club".

"On the other hand, the Managerial Board has decided to add to the unemployment of country promoted for morning by the Table for the Democracy. The Club will paralyse his activities during all the day and any of the professional teams neither formative will train in the Sportive City".

"In this so transcendental moment of our history, the FC Barcelona reaffirms in his positioning of commitment with the freedoms and with the village of Catalonia. What lived yesterday in our country is inadmissible".

"We ask respect by the citizens of Catalonia and put us, once again, beside his legitimate representatives. The Catalans have won us the right to be listened. As one of the entities referents of the country, do an appeal to find political solutions, from the respect to the will of the citizenship".

"In our condition of entity with global vocation, will follow explaining to the world the reality that lives our country and our commitment with his people and his freedoms, a commitment to the that the Club has been faithful in his 118 years of history. We will do it taking advantage of our presence in international sportive organisms and in all the opportunities that present us ".

"To finish, want to support us all the anonymous citizens that yesterday defended a well so valuable like our democracy. From the Barça also want to support to the 893 people that were victims of these aggressions, with the wish that they recover prompt. Visca The Barça i visca Catalonia!"