La Liga file complaint against Barcelona over controversial chants targeting Spain in Athletic Club match

Spain's La Liga has reported five incidents to the competition's authorities following Barcelona's home opener against Athletic Club at the Spotify Camp Nou stadium. The incidents involved controversial chants directed at Spain, the National Police, and Atletico Madrid. The match was marred by the presence of pro-independence flags, which were distributed by the Assemblea Nacional Catalana (ANC) to support the region's independence movement.

The chants came in the wake of an earlier controversy when a young Barcelona supporter was involved in a police intervention in Elche, carrying an estelada - a flag that symbolizes Catalan nationalism. La Liga's report highlights five separate incidents of chanting, all taking place in the Grada Gol Sud section of the stadium. The first chant, directed at Spain and the national team, occurred two minutes before kick-off, with supporters repeating the chant approximately 10 seconds later.

The same chant was heard again in the 18th minute. During the match, Barcelona fans continued to chant against Spain and the Spanish national team, demonstrating their support for Catalan independence. The final two incidents of chanting took place in stoppage time as the match neared its conclusion. The report of these incidents will now be reviewed by La Liga's Competition Committee and the Anti-Violence Commission, who will decide whether any sanctions are warranted.

Barcelona will await the outcome of the disciplinary process, disappointed by the focus on the stands and the potential consequences for their home La Liga campaign.