Barcelona and Espanyol will be kicked out of La Liga if Catalonia becomes its own independent country.
Javier Tebas, the Spanish FA’s president, made the declaration just under a month ahead of the referendum that will be held on November 9. Tebas told a Spanish radio station, Onda Cero , that if there is a “yes” vote, then both Espanyol and the 22-time Spanish champions won’t be allowed to participate in the top flight.
“ Barcelona and Espanyol would not play in the Spanish League if Catalonia becomes independent for the following reason: the Sports Act has an additional provision that only one one-Spanish state can play in La Liga or official Spanish competitions, and that is Andorra.”
Despite the fact that Andorra participate in Spanish competitions, Tebas went on to concede that the law will not be changed to accommodate Barcelona and Espanyol, and that, in fact, it wouldn’t even be considered.
“For that to take place there would need to be a change in parliament and we’d need to see if the affected industry would agree or not.”
Barcelona FC have always insisted that they approve of Catalonia’s attempt to gain their independence. In fact, last week they even signed the Catalan National Pact for Self-Determination. The club’s president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, recently sent a formal letter to the Pact Co-ordinator Joan Rigol, and in it they declared their intention to support the movement.
The Pact has seen more than 3,500 organizations and associations from Barcelona’s social and political positions support Catalan’s right to leave Spain. Former Barcelona President Sandro Rosell previously confirmed this view in a declaration that was in the President’s Report at the 2013 Members Representatives Meeting.
“We will always be there for our country and for the will of its people. We defend the right to self-determination because that forms a part of the fundamental rights which all people and nations must have.”
If Barcelona actually leave La Liga, then that will mean that one of the biggest games in world soccer, the El Classico, which sees the Catalonia side take on Real Madrid, will be obliterated.
It also looks as if the referendum will be an incredibly close vote too. Polls have suggested that most of Catalonia’s 7.5 million residents support the vote, while Barcelona legends, Gerard Pique and Pep Guardiola have both appeared at a huge rally in favour of the November 9 vote.
[Image via YIMG]