The Blaugrana have been fined after their fans waved 'esteladas' in the Champions League and the Catalans are now set for a legal battle with European football's governing body
Even though Barcelona vice-president Jordi Mestre refused to speak of a "war" with Uefa when the Blaugrana delegation touched down in Minsk ahead of the Champions League clash against BATE Borisov on Tuesday, his words sounded a little like a challenge sworn under oath.
"We will go as far as we have to go," he said. "To TAS (in English CAS: Court of Arbitration for Sport), to the Swiss justice system or even to Strasbourg if necessary". That after the decision by Uefa to sanction the club with a €40,000 fine for the use of 'esteladas', the Catalan independence flag, in the Champions League game versus Bayer Leverkusen.
Hours later, the mood remained tense as fellow vice-president Carles Villarubi accused Uefa of "looking for trouble" at Camp Nou in the match against the German team. "Without the current context and if Barca weren't enjoying one of the most successful eras in its sporting history, with all the global projection that brings, would all of this be happening?" he asked. "I don't think so. I don't believe in coincidence any more."
The conflict is evident. Barcelona argue that they are not prepared to deny their fans freedom of expression, traditionally "exemplary" and even more so since former president Joan Laporta ejected the fascist groups from Camp Nou. Uefa, however, do not allow for any type of political expression in their competitions. For example, European football's governing body fined Hajduk Split after some of the club's fans waved the American Confederate Flag, a symbol of racism in the southern States.
The independence flags are anything but racist, of course, and have nothing to do with Nazi symbology. They have also been flying with pride at Camp Nou for four decades. However, there are more right now as the independence debate gathers pace in Spain and it is true too that there are chants of "independence" in every game as the clock reaches 17 minutes and 14 seconds.
Football is moving ever further away from political influence, whatever its colour, odour or the level of tolerance by third parties. So it is natural there is interest in this matter, but Barcelona quite simply are asking Uefa to avoid confusing radical and totalitarian actions and prohibited symbology with peaceful political protests and legal flags.
"We are very disappointed because the conversations haven't had any positive result," Mestre added. Barcelona, it is worth remembering, have not taken any decision in the independence debate and the official stance is that the club will "accept what the majority of Catalans decide". Allowing the 'esteladas' to be waved does not mean that the club share the views of those fans.
Banning them in the stadium would represent social suicide for president Josep Maria Bartomeu, while allowing them could mean a hefty fine and a disadvantage for the club compared to their competitors in Europe. All of that has created a huge dilemma for Barca because - as Catalans often say - "la pela és la pela" ("money is money") and Uefa are still closing their ears to the explanations emanating from Camp Nou. The "war" goes on. (GOAL)
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