In a growing conflict between the FC Barcelona board, headed by Joan Laporta, and the Grada d’animacio, players have been explicitly prohibited from interacting with this group of fans, reports Diario SPORT.
The tension, which has been brewing for some time, reached a new level during the match played in Getafe, where players like Gavi and Araujo were dissuaded by security personnel from greeting the fans identified with the Grada d’animacio.
Who are Grada d’animacio?
Grada d’animació, made up of four fan groups (Almogàvers, Front 532, Nostra Ensenya and Supporters Barça), is known for its passionate support and vocal presence at matches.
However, this season his relationship with the club has deteriorated due to a dispute involving financial sanctions.
Barcelona have demanded the group reimburse the club for fines worth €21,000 incurred for their behavior during the previous season, including offensive chants and inappropriate actions.
The fans have refused to pay, which has led to their exclusion from the Montjuïc matches, where Barça has suffered three defeats without this lively support.
Banning player interaction with these fans is not new; It was evident during last season’s promotion play-off at the Johan Cruyff Stadium, where “Barça, yes; Laporta, no,” the chants began to echo.
The reserve team players were advised not to approach these fans, although the greetings continued from a distance. Now, this policy appears to have extended to the first team.
Readers may also note that earlier this month, several fan groups openly demanded Laporta’s departure for the way he handled Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor’s registration issues.
These groups have also constantly pushed for Laporta to cast a vote of confidence, which has further soured the relationship between the club president and these fan groups.