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Barcelona have officially dropped plans to honour their eight Spanish World Cup winners before Thursday's La Liga match against Athletic Club. The move comes after recent clashes between supporters and the national police, with the Catalan club deciding to cancel the pre-match ceremony at Camp Nou amid growing tensions.

Tensions increase at Camp Nou

Barcelona had been due to celebrate the eight players in their squad who helped Spain win the World Cup in New Jersey last month. The tribute was scheduled to be held on Thursday ahead of their La Liga meeting with Athletic Club at Camp Nou. Elsewhere in Spain, other top-flight clubs have already paid tribute to their title-winning international players during recent home openers.

But the Catalan side suddenly abandoned those plans because of the worsening unrest. The controversy follows Sunday's 5-0 win over Elche, when travelling supporters were reportedly beaten and had their pro-independence Estelada flags confiscated by the authorities. That response led the club's leadership to step in and revise the matchday programme.

Laporta explains the decision

Speaking about the abrupt change on Wednesday, club president Joan Laporta confirmed that the pre-match celebrations would not go ahead. He said the current circumstances made such an event inappropriate.

"The ceremony to honour the world champions will not take place," Laporta said. "It will not take place because it is not being held in the most appropriate context. [The Royal Spanish Football Federation] understands the decision."

The Barcelona president also defended the right of supporters to display the Estelada, a well-known symbol of Catalan independence. "Football should be used to unite, not to create certain confrontations," he added. "The Estelada represents the mindset of many Barca supporters and Catalans. It is part of freedom of expression."

Criticism of police action against fans

The wider issue centres on how fans displaying regional symbols are treated, something that remains highly sensitive in Spain. Laporta strongly criticised the authorities and took a clear position against the violence seen over the weekend.

"We condemn and reject the disproportionate action of the national police officers who assaulted Barca fans for carrying the Estelada before the Elche game," Laporta declared. "We demand that this action, once the facts have been confirmed, be met with the appropriate punishment and sanctions."

He ended with a firm appeal for supporter safety in future: "We hope that appropriate punishment will help ensure that Catalans and Barca fans can carry the flag without fear of physical harm or stigmatisation by the State's security forces."

Focus returns to domestic duties

In spite of the off-field controversy dominating the build-up, Barcelona are now set to focus again on events on the pitch. The Catalan club will host Athletic Club on Thursday evening without the pre-match presentation that had originally been planned.

They will aim to build on their emphatic win over Elche and keep up their momentum in La Liga, even as issues away from the field continue to dominate attention.