Barcelona match played behind closed doors

The clashes prompted Barcelona to announce the Las Palmas match would be played in front of an empty Nou Camp stadium

No supporters were able to watch Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Las Palmas on Sunday as the game was played behind closed doors, following clashes between police and voters in Catalonia over a disputed independence referendum.

Spanish riot police burst into polling stations across Catalonia, confiscating ballot boxes and voting papers to try to halt the banned referendum on a split from Spain as Madrid asserted its authority over the rebel region. Catalan officials said 337 people were injured in the crackdown.

The clashes prompted Barcelona, the club of the Catalan capital, to announce the Las Palmas match would be played in front of an empty Nou Camp stadium. “FC Barcelona condemns the events which have taken place in many parts of Catalonia today in order to prevent its citizens exercising their democratic right to free expression,” the club said on its website.