Barcelona face further action from UEFA after thousands of separatist Catalan flags were again flown ahead of their Champions League clash with Manchester City on Wednesday in defiance of UEFA’s ban on political symbols.
Just as in last month’s match against Celtic the Champions League anthem was drowned out by a chorus of boos and chants in favour of Catalan independence.
Thirty thousand flags were distributed outside the ground by the Catalan National Assembly in protest at charges pressed against Catalonia’s parliamentary speaker, Carme Forcadell, for hosting a debate on independence by Spanish prosecutors.
Barca were fined 150,000 euros ($170,000) by UEFA for the presence of the flags at the Camp Nou during last season’s competition, 50,000 euros of which was suspended for two years.
