Barcelona's La Liga game against Las Palmas will go ahead but be played behind closed doors after there were calls for it to be suspended due to the political climate in Catalonia on Sunday.
There was tension across Catalonia throughout the morning as Spanish police attempted to shut down various polling stations as the region held a referendum, which had been deemed illegal by the Spanish government, on its independence.
That led to calls for Barca to postpone their game with Las Palmas due to fears that there would not be adequate policing for the match. The club announced shortly before kickoff that the match would take place but with no fans in attendance.
pic.twitter.com/jL7OypklCW
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 1, 2017
There had been statements from people associated with the club, such as former presidential candidate Agusti Benedito, telling president Josep Maria Bartomeu that the game could not go ahead in the current political climate.
Various reports throughout the day claimed that the game had been called off, but as kickoff drew closer there was uncertainty as to whether the game would take place or not.
The reports suggested that both La Liga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation had to refuse to call the game off, which left Baca facing a potential points punishment if they decided to suspend it on their own.
The Catalan club would have faced a potential three-point deduction as well as forfeiting the game.
Fans still waiting to come in. Security unaware if game is on or off pic.twitter.com/CBuBzEYwu7
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) October 1, 2017
Las Palmas arrived at the Camp Nou and maintained that the game would take place.
Barca sporting director Robert Fernandez, meanwhile, was unable to say whether the game would be played when he arrived at the stadium an hour before the 4:15 p.m. CEST kickoff
Meanwhile, supporters were held at the Camp Nou gates, which were not opened on schedule.
Barcelona supporters group Grada d'animacio demanded that the game be suspended and threatened that they would storm the pitch in the event that it was not.
Las Palmas out to warm up at an empty Camp Nou pic.twitter.com/tF47xvc8yG
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) October 1, 2017
Preparation for the game went on as planned, though, with the media allowed in, Las Palmas announcing their lineup and Barca goalkeepers Jasper Cillessen and Marc-Andre ter Stegen coming out to warm up.
Source: espn.co.uk