Barcelona are facing the risk of getting excluded from the La Liga, after the club confirmed that they are supporting Catalonia's attempts to get independence from the rest of Spain.
The regional government of Catalonia wanted to hold a nonbinding referendum for their independence on 9 November but Spain's Constitutional Court suspended the vote on grounds that it breaches the country's constitution.
Barcelona were earlier reluctant to show their support for the Catalan region to get independence, due to the fear of getting booted out of the La Liga.
However, after severals fans criticised the club for remaining silent, Barcelona have finally declared their support for Catalonia independence.
"FC Barcelona have signed the Catalan National Pact for Self-Determination The club formalised their adhesion in a formal letter from president Josep Maria Bartomeu to the Pact co-ordinator Joan Rigol," read a statement on the club's official website.
"The Pact brings together over 3,500 organisations and associations from a wide spectre range of social and political positions which endorse the Catalan people's right to self-determination."
Barcelona president Sandro Rosell also went on to say that the club will always support Catalonia and its people at all costs.
"We will always be there for our country and for the will of its people. We defend the right to self-determination because that forms a part of the fundamental rights which all people and nations must have," Rosell told Barcelona's official website.
However, Spanish football league president Javier Tebas has stated that Barcelona, along with the other teams in the northeastern region - Espanyol, Girona and Sabadell, would be dropped from all Spanish competitions if Catalonia separates from Spain.
"Barcelona and Espanyol would not play in the Spanish League if Catalonia becomes independent for the following reason: the Sports Act has an additional provision that only one non-Spanish state can play in La Liga or official Spanish competitions, and that is Andorra," Tebas told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema feels that Barcelona should remain in the Liga Liga, regradless of whether Catalonia get independence or not.
"We need Barcelona to stay in the league," Benzema said in a press conference. "That's what football is all about - two great teams like Madrid and Barca playing against each other. If they need to leave La Liga then that would be a problem so I hope things stay as they are."
