Football
Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondent 9y

Barcelona coy on Catalonia vote amid threat of losing La Liga status

Barcelona's board has again declined to take a firm club position on Catalonia's right to decide whether it will become an independent state as authorities maintain that a positive vote could mean the club is no longer able to take part in La Liga.

Senior Barcelona figures including president Josep Maria Bartomeu and captain Xavi Hernandez took part in last month's Catalan national day celebrations, and the following weekend the team wore a strip featuring the red and yellow national colours against Athletic Bilbao at the Camp Nou.

Gerard Pique also attended a huge gathering that week in favour of a vote on Catalan self-determination.

A "Right to Decide" referendum on independence has been planned for November by the Catalan regional authorities, but the Spanish Supreme Court has ruled it illegal.

After Bartomeu and his fellow directors were criticised for not clearly backing the referendum, the club released a short statement after Monday's board meeting that referred back to a speech made by ex-president Sandro Rosell in 2013.

"The club will be sending a letter to the president of the National Pact on the 'Right to Decide,' Joan Rigol, to reassert the stance that Sandro Rosell made regarding the political future of Catalonia at the 2013 assembly," the statement read.

Rosell had said at the 2013 event: "We defend the 'Right to Decide,' because it forms part of the fundamental rights of individuals and people. We are a Catalan and Catalinista club, due to our history, our identity and our convictions."

Rosell resigned as Barcelona president in January, and Monday's meeting also saw Toni Freixa, who had been a close ally, removed from his post as club secretary.

LFP president Javier Tebas also confirmed on Monday evening that he believed the existing Spanish law would prevent teams from any "breakaway" new country playing in La Liga.

"Barcelona and Espanyol would not play in the Spanish league if Catalonia becomes independent," Tebas told radio show "Al Primer Toque."

"And they would not for the following reasons: the 'Ley del Deporte' ['Law of Sport'] says teams from only one non-Spanish state can play in La Liga or Spanish official competitions, and that is Andorra. A change to that would have to be made in parliament, and we would need to see if the affected sector agreed or not."

Former Barca midfielder Cesc Fabregas has also spoken on the independence issue, telling Radio Marca that the Catalan people should be allowed to decide their own future.

Fabregas is now back in England with Chelsea and, despite seeing Scotland vote against independence from the United Kingdom last month, he feels it is right that the people be given the right to decide.

"I believe the people should vote on Nov. 9, and be free to show what they think," Fabregas said. "If the people want to they should be able to, because it does not damage anyone. It is like what happened in Scotland -- the people decide what they want."

Speaking as he joined up with the La Roja squad ahead of this week's Euro 2016 qualifiers, Fabregas said there was no contradiction between feeling Catalan and playing for Spain.

"I feel Catalan, but I am Spanish," he said. "I know that we are a country that likes to debate a lot. There are players who feel Catalan or Basque, but in sport we are all Spaniards. We enjoy, on a sporting level, being with the Spain team. Sport and politics make a bad mix. I am proud of playing for Spain."

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