On Sunday Oct. 1, F.C. Barcelona (often abbreviated as FCB) played Las Palmas in a Spanish League fixture to an empty Camp Nou, an unlikely scene for the storied stadium in the heart of Barcelona. Instead of the roar of hundred of thousands of fans, the stadium was filled with the speaking of coaches and players, concentrating on their game.

This stadium lockout was due to the political situation currently happening in the Catalonia region in Spain, as Barcelona is a major city in that area. Before the game, protesters were clashing violently throughout the city in to response to the city’s independence referendum vote. Catalans are in uproar, casting their votes to gain independence from Spain. FCB also voted in favor for the independence referendum. As a identity for the area, the rippling effect will certainly impact their season and their future.

Catalonia consists of four major provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida and Tarragona. While each province has one or more professional soccer teams, FCB is at the center of attention being one of the wealthiest and most well known teams in the world.

Futbol Club Barcelona was founded in 1899 by a group of English, Swiss and Catalan

Football players. From the beginning, FCB was a major part of Catalonia’s culture, as the club motto states “Mes que un club,” which means more than a club. The club is owned and operated by its supporters, creating a unique and personable relationship between players, coaches and fans.

The club associates itself with Catalonia values, simplified with a local term seny meaning “common sense” or a pragmatic attitude toward life. “Catalans,” as the native people call them, also enjoy a high degree of political autonomy, which ultimately causing this political outrage, calling for independence.

If Catalonia did gain independence from Spain, there would be a huge change for all the teams located in the Catalonian region. First, Barcelona and others would stop participating in the Spanish League La Liga and in the Spanish Cup Copa del Rey. With La Liga and the Copa del Rey being two prestigious competitions in Europe, the National Spanish League Association would lose major revenue and potential fans if independence were to happen. This would mean the association would have to make an exception to let the teams in or FCB and the other teams would have to find another league to play.

“It is tragic news, F.C. Barcelona is a huge team and to see them leave the spanish league would be a tragedy for the world of sports,” junior Mason McNeely said.

This is not uncommon to have a team outside of the country playing in the national league, as AS Monaco, a sovereign state in southern France plays in the French Ligue 1. We also see this in England’s Premier League, as the Football Association in England allows Swansea City, a team in Wales, play in their national league.

If FCB do get kicked out of La Liga, it will certainly be odd to see the 24 time La Liga and 29 time Copa del Rey champion not be in the competitions anymore. However, there is still a long way to go in Catalonia’s bid for independence and FCB’s situation will be followed closely by diehard fans and soccer fans in the world.