Barcelona matches set to take place behind closed doors
Barcelona set to face Napoli in the Champions League at the Camp Nou without any supporters.
Barcelona and the Catalan government met to discuss whether or not their match against Napoli would be played behind closed doors.
A decision has been reached and the game will go ahead as planned but it will be played behind closed doors due to the coronavirus outbreak.
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"“It is a decision that the Club has taken for health reasons, not just for the country but for the entire continent which is what is important and the club will apply this decision with the support of the Catalan people,” said Joan Guix, Health Secretary of the Catalan Regional Government.“As such it is a decision that has been taken solely on health grounds.”Source: FC Barcelona"
According to Diario Sport, the government actually recommended for the game to be canceled while Barcelona hoped to reach a compromise in which only allowing season ticket holders to attend.
In the end, the resolution that the game be played behind closed doors was reached.
Either way, that the match is to be played without any fans shows how seriously and quickly the outbreak has spread and is just one indication on how governments are dealing with it.
Professional sports are not immune to this type of thing and it seems to have finally hit Spain. Barca’s match against Napoli will not be the only match to be affected.
La Liga released a statement confirming that the next two fixtures will also be played behind closed doors. For the Blaugrana, this means the matches against Mallorca and Leganes.
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With the coronavirus spreading and countries trying to find the best way to contain it, expect more decisions like this to be made.
For more information about COVID-19, visit the CDC’s website or the website for your state’s Department of Health.