The date and venue have been confirmed for one of the most symbolic matches of recent years: the Catalan national soccer team will face Palestine in a friendly match to be played on November 18 at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys de Montjuïc.
The match, advanced by RAC1, is part of an initiative promoted by the Palestinian Football Federation, immediately accepted by the Generalitat and the Federació Catalana. Barça, which currently plays its matches in Montjuïc, has also given its approval for the stadium to host the event.
Official presentation in Gernika
The official announcement will not be made in Barcelona, but in Gernika this Saturday, when the federations of the Basque Country and Palestine will present the friendly that they will play on November 15. It will be there where the expected Catalunya-Palestine match will be publicly unveiled.
The match transcends the sporting aspect. The Palestinian national team has lost several players in recent months, such as Mohammed Barakat, Suleiman Al-Obeid and Rashid Dabour, who died in attacks in the Gaza Strip. According to their federation, more than 400 footballers, including players and former players, were killed in the war.
The Montjuïc event will therefore be a symbolic gesture of support for Palestine at a time when FIFA is debating in Switzerland a possible veto of Israel in all international competitions. Although no immediate decision is expected, the match in Barcelona comes in the midst of a global debate on the role of sport in the face of political conflict.
For Catalonia, it will also be an opportunity to play again in front of its fans in an emblematic venue such as Montjuïc, with the stands expected to be full for a match that is already anticipated to be more than just soccer.
Date and stadium
The match between the national teams of Catalonia and Palestine will be played at the Olympic Stadium LLuís Companys de Montjuïc, on November 18. The exact time is yet to be confirmed.