Why Palestine's friendly against Catalonia was 'more than a football match'

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola set the scene perfectly.

“It is more than a symbolic match,” he said on Catalan radio ahead of Tuesday’s unofficial friendly between the Catalan national team and Palestine in Barcelona.

“Nowadays everything is known and with this confrontation, the Palestinians will see that there is a part of the world that thinks of them. The world has abandoned Palestine. We have done absolutely nothing. They are not to blame for having been born there. We have all allowed an entire people to be destroyed.

“I can’t imagine anyone in this world who could defend the massacres in Gaza. Our children could be there and be killed simply for being born. I have very little faith in leaders. They’ll do anything to stay in power.”

In a separate video message, Guardiola added: “This match is a moving tribute to the souls of more than 400 Palestinian athletes who were martyred in Gaza.”

Palestine played two friendly games for the first time in Europe this week, on Saturday against the Basque Country where 51,396 filled Athletic Club’s ground in Bilbao to see a defeat for the visitors. And on Tuesday when a crowd of 30,000 saw a 2-1 win in Barcelona’s Olympic Stadium.

There were concerns that a 6.30pm kick-off time was too early on a working day and fans were still filing in 20 minutes into the game. But ticket prices were as low as €5 for adults.

All proceeds went to Act X Palestine to be used for humanitarian aid and reconstruction in Gaza, providing tangible relief to those affected by ongoing conflict.

Billed as ‘Football for Peace’, flag waving fans climbed up the hill of Montjuic as the sun set behind it. The Catalan national team plays a couple of friendlies per year. They are unrecognised by Fifa, but the calibre of players has dropped since Catalans, including Lamine Yamal, are representing Spain during the international break.

Seven Catalans - Victor Valdes, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Joan Capdevila, Xavi, Sergio Busquets and Cesc Fabregas – won the 2010 World Cup with Spai