Barça have taken the somewhat strange step of reserving two different hotels in two different cities for Saturday’s match against Betis. The situation arrives due to Betis announcing they plan to stage the game at their Ruiz Lopera stadium in Seville despite an order by the Real Federación Española de Fútbol to find another venue for the match.
Last week Betis’s home match with Athletic Bilbao was suspended after 70 minutes when an idiot chucked a bottle that hit Athletic keeper Armando. The RFEF acted swiftly by fining Betis and announcing that their ground would be closed for two matches. Everything pointed to the match with Barça being played in Cadiz which is 125km from Seville. However, in Spain nothing is ever quite as simple as a decision being made and then followed. Betis have appealed against the decision and as the Appeals Committee does not sit until Thursday Betis have announced that they will not have time to change the venue at such short notice.
It brings back memories of when the authorities announced Camp Nou would have to be closed for four matches after the pig’s head incident with Figo in November 2002. Nothing happened and then the authorities reduced the decision to two matches, more time passed while it never appeared convenient for Barça to close the ground and eventually the decision was rescinded.
Who the hell is in charge here?
10 responses so far ↓
BARCA 4 LYF // Mar 25, 2008 at 21:06
What’s the Figo incident what happened?
Nic // Mar 25, 2008 at 22:16
Luis Figo will be remembered as probably the biggest traitor in Barça’s history when he signed for Real Madrid in the summer of 2000 while still under contract with Barça. The betrayal was extra because Figo signed a special contract with Florentino Perez who at the time was just a candidate in the Real Madrid presidential elections. Perez’s promise of Figo’s signing helped to win him the election and Figo signed. The first time Figo returned to Camp Nou he didn’t dare go near the touchline, but in November 2002 he returned again and this time took the corners. Barça’s fans threw everything at him including a whisky bottle and a pig’s head. Despite hating him, I suppose it was quite fortunate that nothing hit him. The RFEF decided to close Camp Nou for four games, but for some reason this never happened. Other clubs always remember this when they are disciplined in a similar way. It really made a mockery of the Spanish football authorities.
Here’s a picture of Figo and the pig’s head -
http://quiron.files.wordpress.com/2007/09/vuelta_figo.jpg
Piotrek // Mar 25, 2008 at 22:41
To top it off, the m*therf*cker was our captain at the time
bobkat // Mar 26, 2008 at 1:28
never to be forgiven, worse than laudrup, figo is the lowest form of footballer! I’m guessing this weekend we’ll be playing in seville?
Nic // Mar 26, 2008 at 1:42
I think Laudrup can be forgiven now. He shouldn’t have gone to Madrid but he was becoming the fourth man behind Stoichkov, Koeman and Romario. I don’t think he went for money, just because he wanted to play every week. Figo was totally mercenary and I’m sure he will never be forgiven.
bobkat // Mar 26, 2008 at 2:37
I agree … forgiven … maybe (why madrid oh why oh why?) … but figo is surely relegated to the lowest levels of barca hell … i may not have actually written or said his name in more than a couple of years … when i see him on tv i instantly change the channel, when he’s playing in a match i pray for him to make a fool of himself … the hate runs deep (and i’m not a very hateful person) … maybe i need counseling?
Nic // Mar 26, 2008 at 2:42
Hey Bobkat, I know what you mean. When I wrote earlier that it was fortunate that nothing hit Figo I was trying to be a responsible adult. At the time, during the game, I would have been quite happy if Camp Nou had lynched the bastard.
Jay // Mar 26, 2008 at 19:03
Yes, Figo is a clear traitor. No doubt about that. I was absolutely delighted when he was sent off at the Bernabeu in 2004 and we won 2-1. That was one of the greatest nights I’ve enjoyed watching Barca. But I liked him as a player.
Blaugrana // Mar 26, 2008 at 20:08
Puti figo
Taras // Mar 27, 2008 at 11:15
It would be great if the pig’s head hit him right in his traitor’s head! But I feel bad for the pig. What a shame for it being launhed at that son of a b**h!
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