No matter the political colors, it has happened again. Every time the Spanish team plays a major international competition in Barcelona, you have to flip a coin to find out whether or not the city will have screens to watch the games. With Colau with the World Cup it came out tails. and with Collboni in the Euro Cup more of the same.
“Barcelona with the National Team” has tried to get the council headed by the socialist Jaume Collboni to provide them with a municipal space, starting on Saturday, June 15, to be able to follow Spain's matches in the Euro Cup. A store there would install a giant screen that would be paid for by the platform itself “so that it would not cost the citizens of Barcelona any cost.” But once again they found themselves vetoed against his proposal. This has been communicated by the council itself, which only leaves the door open to start negotiations if Spain reaches the final.
A decision that the platform regretted through a statement. «In December of last year, conversations began with the Sports Councilor, Mr. Escudé, as long as he provided a publicly owned space, starting on Saturday, June 15, to be able to temporarily install a giant screen (paid for by the Association) and on February 19, the Sports Department of Barcelona City Council confirmed that 'At the direction of the Councilor for Sports, Mr. David Escudé, I would like to tell you that Barcelona City Council will be the one who will organize the installation of the screens and that we will specify the details later.'they say, so they assumed there would be no problems.
“They have deceived us”
But to the surprise of the association, on May 27 they were informed through the City Council that “At the direction of Mr. David Escudé, sports councilor of the Barcelona City Council, he reported that only in the event that the Spanish team reaches the final of the aforementioned competition will the City Council take all the steps to put up a giant screen.”
“It doesn't matter what colors govern the Barcelona City Council, but it seems that they like to generate controversy around the Spanish National Team. We've been wasting time and “The City Council has deceived us” they denounced before announcing that they would search a plan B so that Barcelona Red fans can enjoy their selection.
And finally they have achieved it. “We have done it again: Giant screen in Barcelona to see Spain in the Euro”, They have announced through their Instagram profile.
Where to see it and the price
Next Saturday, Fans will be able to follow the debut of “la Roja” against Croatia at the Otto Zutz Clublocated at Carrer de Lincoln, 15. The entrance It will cost €5 with a drink (water, beer or soft drink).
During the World Cup in Qatar, the then mayor Ada Colau justified her decision to veto “la Roja” by saying that authorizing the screens would be equivalent to “being complicit in a dictatorship.” An opinion that was also expressed by Jaume Collboni -who held the position of deputy mayor-. “What the president of FIFA calls prejudice is a violation of human rights, persecution of the LGTBI community and discrimination against women. The World Cup cannot be an excuse to whitewash the dictatorship,” he said in a message on his Twitter account.
On this occasion, The Catalans are still waiting to know the reason for his refusal.