Barca fined for fan behaviour

Barcelona have been handed a £21,000 fine by UEFA after their supporters displayed pro-Catalan independence flags at last month’s Champions League final.

Barcelona will have to pay a fine for their fans’ banners at the Champions League final.

While Catalan flags are ever present during the club’s league games, they are not allowed by Uefa and the club have been landed with a €30,000 fine for fans waving them at the Olympiastadion on June 6.

Fans showed banners supporting independence for the Catalonia region of Spain in the Olympic Stadium in Berlin.

“With the aim of defending the rights of members and the Club, and with the utmost respect for the law, our legal services have been contacted and will be issuing an appeal in order to have the opportunity to challenge today’s decision”.

FC Barcelona has historically had close ties with Catalan nationalism, that led to it’s fierce rivalry with Real Madrid, the club FC Barcelona fans allege were backed by the dictator General Franco, who carried atrocities against the people of Catalonia.

According to UEFA, it’s prohibited to use gestures and/or banners that support political and religious causes in competitions organized by the institution. “This stems from the belief that the rights of our members and the club are not incompatible with the current ruling, but rather the opposite”.

Barca defeated Juventus 3-1 in the final in Berlin to win their fifth European Cup.