Football once again demonstrated its social and political dimension in Barcelona, in the friendly match between Catalonia and Palestine, a few days after the match played in San Mamés. “It is a historic and symbolic moment. Playing against Euskadi or Catalonia is not just sport: it is a statement. Seeing the Palestinian flags waving and hearing the fans chanting our name is a message against genocide and occupation,” explained Ehab Abu Jazar, Palestine coach, in an interview with EL PAÍS.
The Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys did not have the same turnout as San Mamés, which brought together more than 50,000 spectators for the match between Euskadi and Palestine, but the heat and the chants from the stands reached the grass with the same intensity. Match time, 6.30pm. on Tuesday, neither the cold of Montjuïc, with a temperature of 12 degrees, nor the short notice of ticket sales due to the dispute over the venue helped. Even so, football became a pretext and stage, demonstration and exhibition. The participants calmly faced the climb to Montjuïc, carrying and showing off their Palestinian flags and scarves with pride and resistance. A large portion are also Catalan and the vast majority are Estelada. In total, 30,018 spectators – just over half of an admission – filled the stadium, loudly invoking Palestine and witnessing the victory of the Catalan national team (2-1) with goals from Ilie Sánchez, Joel Roca and Moustafa Zeidan.
“Football for peace” was written on every corner of the Olympic Stadium. Even on a large round tarp in the center of the field. Before the match the stadium remained silent to listen to the anthem of Palestine, also that of Catalonia, The Reapersaccompanied by a large choir. The crowd responded with applause, with a pitchside mosaic featuring the flags of both teams, and with rockets bearing the colors of the Palestinian people at the North Gate. Made up mostly of entertainment groups from different venues, they did not stop singing and clapping, displaying two large signs: “From the Catalan countries to Palestine, for the freedom of the people!”
The initial homage culminated in the formation of two Colla Castellers from Barcelona and that from Valls castlesone on each side of the field, where each enxaneta He crowned the summit with a Palestinian and another Catalan flag. After the opening speech, Montjuïc is silent again with the minute of silence for the victims of Palestine. And the ball began to roll, even if the football and the chants took second place Free Palestine They didn’t stop. They were interspersed with some against Israel and others in favor of Catalan independence. “It’s not a war, it’s a genocide,” the participants shouted.
“It is a more than symbolic match. The Palestinians will see that there is a part of the world that thinks of them,” Pep Guardiola said on RAC1. He was right. It wasn’t just a football match, it was a demonstration of the power of sport, a spokesperson for social and political causes. “We represent the Palestinian people and we play on their behalf. For us, football is much more than a game. We play not only to win, but to exist,” Ehab Abu Jazar explained to this medium.
Football, for many Palestinians, has become a channel of their identity, a way of expression, even of freedom. “Football gave me hope, dignity and freedom,” Honey Thaljieh, co-founder of the Palestinian women’s team, confessed to EL PAÍS. The money raised from tickets for the meeting, promoted by ‘Act x Palestine’, will go towards three axes: humanitarian aid and reconstruction of Gaza, justice and the end of impunity, and culture as community resilience.
As the final whistle approached, the stadium was illuminated by the torchlights of the spectators. In the end, both teams collected the friendly trophy, and the Palestinian players walked around the pitch, applauding everyone present. And the public address system reminded us once again of a key message: “This is more than a football game.”
