OFFICIAL NOTE
www.fcbarcelona.cat
FC Barcelona wishes to make clear publically the full sequence of events which have occurred over the last few hours with regards to the CD Osasuna-FC Barcelona game.
1) Since yesterday evening, the club has been aware of the serious incidents which were occurring as a result of the Spanish air traffic controllers’ strike. In the light of these circumstances, Club President Sandro Rosell personally contacted the Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF) to explain the situation. Following various contacts with different Federation officials and heeding the recommendations of the Spanish Spanish Air Authorities (AENA), Sr Rosell decided to maintain the club’s original travel plans for the trip to Pamplona.
2) At 09.00 this morning the team reported to the Nou Camp to leave for Barcelona airport, but the travel plans were suspended awaiting further information from AENA, who regularly informed the club throughout the morning that the scheduled flight was being cancelled, but guaranteeing that another flight would be available at some point during the morning.
3) The club continued to maintain contact with the RFEF, who as a result of the exceptional circumstances informed the club that the game had been postponed and would take place tomorrow, Sunday, at 17.00. The club accepted this decision, although it affected negatively the preparations for Tuesday’s Champions League game against Rubin Kazan.
4) Following the decision by the RFEF, the club prepared another travel plan which involved taking a high speed train to Zaragoza at 17.00 and then taking a coach for the rest of the journey to Pamplona.
5) To the club’s great surprise, at about 15.00, the RFEF again contacted the club to inform us that despite their earlier decision, they had now decided that the game must go ahead today and that the team would risk forfeiting the three points if it failed to turn up. This note was also signed by the Spanish League (LFP).
6) FC Barcelona has expressed its indignation to the RFEF at the damage to the club’s sporting interests, its image and its supporters, as a result of the RFEF’s indecisiveness. The club accepted the decision to play the game today and set up an emergency travel plan which involved leaving by train an hour earlier than planned, at 16.00, with the intention of playing the game against CD Osasuna as soon as the team arrive in Pamplona.
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Barcelona, 4 December 2010
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