Barcelona FC to join strike in Catalonia, Pique abused at training

Barcelona FC will join a general strike called in Catalonia on Tuesday, the club confirmed at a news conference at the Camp Nou on Monday.

“What we saw in the country yesterday is unacceptable. Us Catalans have earned the right to be heard. Tomorrow we will join the strike,” said club president Josep Bartomeu.

Espanyol and Girona, the other Catalan teams in Spain’s top flight, also said they would join the one-day strike.

“It was a difficult day for everyone in Catalonia,” continued Bartomeu when asked about the reasons for playing Barcelona’s La Liga match with Las Palmas in an empty stadium.

“We were unable to get the game postponed so we decided to play it behind closed doors.

“We made that decision because it was a way of showing the world what was happening.”

Many were upset the game was played, and Bartomeu confirmed: “Today I have accepted the resignations of directors Carles Vilarrubi y Jordi Mones. They both opposed the decision to let the game go ahead.’’

Bartomeu added: “In the name of the club, we want to show solidarity with those people who defended democracy and with those who were wounded.”

Catalan authorities said 893 people were injured in clashes between protesters and police trying to disrupt voting.

More than 40 Unions in Catalonia joined forces under the umbrella organization Table for Democracy and called for the general strike.

The club tweeted: “None of the professional teams or the youth teams at FC Barcelona will train tomorrow.”

Many of the club’s players are away on international duty, and Gerard Pique, who trained with Spain on Monday, was subject to abuse from spectators watching the open session.

The Barcelona defender has always split opinion among fans of the national team.

He won the World Cup and Euros with Spain in 2010 and 2012 but has been a vocal supporter of Catalonia’s referendum on independence.

There were around 1,500 supporters allowed to watch the team train at the Las Rozas complex just outside of Madrid.

One banner read “Pique Out,” and abusive songs telling him his “nation was Spain” were chanted when he touched the ball.

Pique did not want Barcelona’s match with Las Palmas to be played on Sunday after scenes of police brutality against people voting in the region’s illegal referendum.

After the game, he said: “I think I can keep playing for the Spain team because I think that there are many people throughout the country that are completely against the acts we have seen today and who believe in democracy.”

But he added: “If the Spain manager or the Spanish FA think I’m a problem, then I have no problem in stepping aside and leaving the team before 2018.”

Spain play Albania in Alicante on Friday and then go to Israel next Monday.

Pique is expected to start both games as they look to wrap up qualification to next year’s World Cup.