Spanish clubs refuse players permission to join Catalonia squad

Rayo Vallecano and Huesca have joined fellow top division strugglers Valladolid in preventing a number of their players from joining up with the Catalonia national football team.Vallladolid, 16th in the league standings, took the decision to block Ruben Alcaraz and Jordi Masip from joining up with the national side, who are not recognised by neither FIFA nor UEFA, ahead of a friendly with Venezuela next Monday.
All three teams have insisted the decision is sporting, rather than political as tensions continue to rise between the autonomous region and the Madrid central government following an illegal referendum on independence in October 2017.
Twelve people, most of them former officials of the regional government, are currently standing trial for the roles they played in the vote, while the former head of regional government Carles Puigdemont is in exile in Belgium.
A Valladolid statement read: “The club respects the Catalonian Federation, but is putting their sporting interests first heading into a decisive part of the season and we want to avoid any possible injury risks with our footballers.”
Fellow strugglers Huesca and Rayo, who sit bottom and second bottom respectively, both said in statements on Wednesday that Alberto Garcia, Alex Moreno, Enric Gallego and Alex Gallar will also not join up with Catalonia, citing potential injury worries.

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Big banner reading 'Only dictatorships jail peaceful political leaders' displayed at Barça's Stadium

Barcelona´s players standed on the field as a banner reading 'Only dictatorships jail peaceful political leaders' wass displayed before the Spanish league football match FC Barcelona against Sevilla FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on October 20, 2018.

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Guardiola: "Pedro Sánchez does not have to approach the prisoners, he must release them"

"Pedro Sánchez does not have to approach the prisoners, he must release them" said the Manchester City coach. Sanchez is the new Spanish PM after the Popular Party was ousted on Friday. Last October, PSOE (Spanish socialist nationalist party) backed Rajoy when he imposed direct rule on Catalonia following a declaration of independence.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola says he will "always" wear a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned politicians in Catalonia - despite being charged by the Football Association for doing so. Manchester City coach answered if he would wear the yellow ribbon: "I accept the fines [for wearing a yellow ribbon in support of jailed Catalan politicians]. I am human. But there are four guys in jail in Catalonia. It will always be with me. It's not about politicians it's about democracy. Before I am a manager I am a human being."

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Barcelona Fans Booed Spanish Anthem in Presence of the "king" (Video)

Fans of the Catalan football club Barcelona booed the Spanish anthem before a Spanish Cup final. The match was held at the "Wanda Metropolitano" stadium in Madrid; the "king" of Spain, Philippe VI, attended the event. He and his father are monarchs after the Franco's fascist uprising.

On April 21, Barcelona defeated Seville 5:0 and won the Spanish Cup for the 30th time. In 1925 another Spanish dictator, Rivera, closed the Barça's stadium because Fans of the Catalan football club Barcelona booed the Spanish imposed anthem too.

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Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola charged by FA over Catalonia yellow ribbon

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has been charged by the Football Association for wearing a political message.
The FA said in a statement that the yellow ribbon worn by the former Barcelona boss on his jacket in support of imprisoned Catalan politicians was in breach of its kit and advertising regulations.
Guardiola, whose side face Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, has until 6pm on Monday 5 March to respond to the charge.
Guardiola, who was born in the Catalan town of Santpedor and spent the best part of 20 years at Barcelona as player and coach, has previously explained his reasons for wearing the ribbon, which he has sported since at least November.
Speaking in December, he said: “I do that because in Spain two specific people who defend something like the vote, something the people in command do not agree [with], are in prison. It’s unfair.
“To make a rebellion on something like that, you have to be something tough to be in prison. And they are still there. So, while they are not out, always here (pointing to ribbon) will be shared with me. Because, OK, they can suspend me for doing that, but the other people are in jail. If they want to suspend me – Uefa, Premier League, Fifa – it’s OK.”

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Spanish Inquisition: Catalan activist fined by a massive booing to the Spanish king

Catalan activist Santiago Espot  @santiagoespot has benn condemned with a fine of € 7,200. Dozens of thousands of Basque and Catalan people whistled the Bourbon Spanish king in a match on 2014. As Spain could not charge thousands of people for their right of free expression began a process against Espot for promoting the whistling as he could organize it alone. The Spanish judge jocked about the right of the Catalan activist to declare in his language as well as his way to speak.

Freedom of expression ? Spanish Inquisition.

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