Laporta backs Barcelona legal challenge after Estelada fan incident

Barcelona are preparing an unprecedented legal challenge against the Policia Nacional after a minor supporter was allegedly subjected to a violent arrest over carrying an Estelada flag before their match against Elche on Sunday.

Club president Joan Laporta is personally leading the escalation, with Barcelona and the supporter expected to pursue joint legal action against the police officer involved in the incident.

The case centres on the alleged detention and forceful treatment of the young fan near the Martinez Valero stadium before Elche v Barcelona. The supporter was reportedly stopped because he was carrying the Estelada, the flag associated with Catalan independence.

Barcelona said the incident had gone beyond “an unbearable limit” and has moved to provide the family with legal and institutional support.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Laporta contacted the family directly after the incident and offered the club’s full backing. Following those discussions, Barcelona and the victim decided to begin legal proceedings together against the officer accused of involvement.

The club’s legal team will represent the minor, working alongside prominent criminal lawyer Marc Molins. The stated aim is to defend the supporter’s rights through the courts.

Barcelona had already issued a strongly worded statement on Tuesday condemning what it described as the “excessive and unjustified use of force” by members of the Policia Nacional against its members and supporters in the area around Martinez Valero.

Laporta has also publicly criticised the police response, describing the treatment of the young fan as “disproportionate and violent”. He said the incident had no connection with freedom of expression, amid the dispute over the supporter’s use of the Estelada.

The case has attracted widespread support within Barcelona. First-team player Gavi has joined Laporta in expressing solidarity with the young supporter and his family, while the club has made clear that it considers the protection of its fans a central issue.

Laporta is expected to reinforce that position during Barcelona’s match against Athletic Club tonight. He has announced plans for a symbolic “tribute to the independence flag” during the game, presenting the gesture as a public defence of freedom of expression.

The president has also confirmed that there will be no tribute to the World Cup winners during the match. The decision is intended to underline Barcelona’s stance in the dispute and to keep attention focused on the treatment of the minor supporter.

The planned gesture comes after the club’s initial statement and the direct contact between Laporta and the fan’s family. It represents a further escalation in Barcelona’s response and marks a move from public condemnation to a coordinated legal case involving the club, the supporter and his family.