Barça fans fill Camp Nou with pro-independence flags in protest against police violence

The Camp Nou stadium filled with pro-independence flags on Thursday evening in a show of defiance against the police brutality that was seen ahead of the Catalans' season opener against Elche last Sunday.

On Sunday, Spanish National Police officers confiscated a pro-independence estelada flag from a Barça fan queueing up to enter the stadium, before beating him on the ground. 

The fan, a minor under the age of 18, was then arrested. 

The incident led Barcelona to suspend the homage to their own World Cup-winning players ahead of their first home game of the season on Thursday, and instead fill the stadium with pro-independence flags. Club president Joan Laporta even called for an "act of exaltation of the estelada" flag.

The club will assist the young fan with their legal complaint against the police officers involved.

Spain's interior ministry has opened an investigation into the events. 

Amnesty International Spain demanded an "external, independent, and impartial" investigation, while it welcomes the opening of an internal investigation. The organization lamented "the excessive use of force against a Barça fan, a minor."

Before kickoff on Thursday, Barça fans displayed thousands of flags, between those brought from people's homes and others distributed outside the ground by pro-independence civic organization, the Catalan National Assembly. 

In addition, two giant flags were unfurled, which were later removed when the match began as they were covering the scoreboard or advertising.

The president of the ANC, Josep Vila, called for sports stadiums to be "filled" with pro-independence flags as a response to “Catalanophobia” that he likened to “xenophobia.” 

Raphinha shines in number 9 role

On the pitch, Barça continued their perfect start to the season with a dominant victory over Basque side Athletic Bilbao. 

Raphinha scored the opening goal with a fantastic move that saw him round World Cup-winning goalkeeper, Unai Simon, before finishing neatly. 

The Brazilian took his tally to the season to three goals already, adding one to the brace he netted against Elche, and the performance as a whole showed that he is capable of occupying the central striker position that's currently the biggest gap in the team. 

Hansi Flick's charges have opened the campaign without a recognized stiker in the squad after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. 

Raphinha started his Barcelona career on the right wing, only to be frustrated for game time first by Ousmane Dembélé, and then by the emergence of Lamine Yamal. Instead, the Brazilian adapted his game, and became a team leader in a new role on the left side of the pitch. 

Now, he may be forced to adapt his game once again to fit the central role. 

With him starting in that role so far, the Catalans have scored 7 goals and conceded none.

There are still some more days to go before the transfer window closes, but what started out as a clear gap in the squad may not be as drastic as first feared, if Raphinha can continue this impressive run of form in a new position.