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Barcelona vs Las Palmas to take place in empty stadium

By Chiranjib Ghosh

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 21: General view of the Camp Nou Stadium prior the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and SD Eibar at Camp Nou Stadium on May 21, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MAY 21: General view of the Camp Nou Stadium prior the La Liga match between FC Barcelona and SD Eibar at Camp Nou Stadium on May 21, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by fotopress/Getty Images) /
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Barcelona will be taking on Las Palmas in an empty Camp Nou

Catalan football fans hold Esteladas and flag reading ‘Yes’ before the Spanish league football match Girona FC vs FC Barcelona at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on September 23, 2017.Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asked Catalan separatist leaders today to own up they can’t hold an outlawed independence referendum after a crackdown dealt them a serious blow this week. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images)
Catalan football fans hold Esteladas and flag reading ‘Yes’ before the Spanish league football match Girona FC vs FC Barcelona at the Montilivi stadium in Girona on September 23, 2017.Spain’s Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy asked Catalan separatist leaders today to own up they can’t hold an outlawed independence referendum after a crackdown dealt them a serious blow this week. / AFP PHOTO / Josep LAGO (Photo credit should read JOSEP LAGO/AFP/Getty Images) /

Barcelona have a history of unrest in the city but the club has always been able to prevent discord in the Camp Nou. But that is not possible today, as the situation has escalated and gone out of control.

After the Barcelona fan club ‘Animation Stand’ threatened to launch a protest over the situation over the Catalonian referendum, the club took the step of hosting the match behind closed doors.

"The official statement read : “Given the exceptional nature of events, the Board of Directors have decided that the FC Barcelona first team game against Las Palmas will be played behind closed doors following the Professional Football League’s refusal to postpone the game.”"

Simultaneously, the club also released the starting lineup.

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Goalkeeper : Marc-André ter Stegen

Right-back : Aleix Vidal

Centre-back(left) : Javier Mascherano

Centre-back(right) : Gerard Piqué

Left-back : Jordi Alba

Defensive midfielder : Sergio Busquets

Playmaker(left) : Paulinho

Playmaker(right) : Sergi Roberto

Left forward : Denis Suárez

Centre forward : Luis Suárez

Right forward : Lionel Messi

Although the absence of the roaring Camp Nou crowd will surely affect the team, the players are good enough to breeze through the tie. Ernesto Valverde has decided to risk some of the most important players in this match, who should have ideally been on the bench.

Sergio Busquets has played almost every single match and he deserves a rest ahead of the international games. Also, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez will gruel it out in the World Cup Qualifiers. All three players play day in day out for Barcelona and should have been rested.

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But they are starting, so it likely be a goal fiesta at the empty stadium. Also, players like Denis Suárez and Aleix Vidal will be getting a chance to make their case to Ernesto Valverde by putting in a good performance.

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