Barcelona banned players from interacting with famous fan group amid rising tension | OneFootball

In an escalating conflict between FC Barcelona’s board, led by Joan Laporta, and the Grada d’animacio, players have been explicitly barred from interacting with this fan group, reports Diario SPORT.

The tension, which has been brewing for some time, reached a new level during the match at Getafe, where players like Gavi and Araujo were dissuaded by security from greeting fans identified with the Grada d’animacio.

Who are Grada d’animacio?

Grada d’animació, comprised 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, their relationship with the club has soured over a dispute involving financial penalties.

Barcelona have demanded that the group reimburse the club for fines amounting to €21,000 euros incurred due to their behaviour during the previous season, including offensive chants and inappropriate actions.

The relationship between Grada d’animacio and Joan Laporta is not very good right now (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

The fans have refused to pay, leading to their exclusion from games at Montjuic, where Barça have suffered three defeats in the absence of this spirited support.

The prohibition on player interaction with these fans isn’t new; it was evident during last season’s promotion play-off at Johan Cruyff Stadium, where “Barça, yes; Laporta, no” chants began to echo.

Players from the reserve team were advised not to approach these fans, although greetings did continue from a distance. Now, this policy seems to have extended to the first team.

Readers may also note that earlier in the month, various fan groups openly demanded the exit of Laporta for the way he handled Dani Olmo and Pau Victor’s registration woes.

These groups have also constantly pushed for Laporta to issue a vote of confidence, which has further soured the relationship between the club president and these fan groups.