All professional sports events in Spain to be played behind closed doors
FC Barcelona La Liga and Champions League games and basketball matches among those affected by Spanish health ministry measure
All professional sports events in Catalonia, and the whole of Spain, will be played behind closed doors in the coming weeks, including both national leagues and international competitions.
This was one of the top measures announced by Spain's health minister, Salvador Illa, on Tuesday afternoon.
That includes all FC Barcelona La Liga games, as well as the second leg of the Champions League last 16 tie against SSC Napoli – earlier in the day Catalan authorities had already decided that the match would be played without fans.
The measure also includes RCD Espanyol, a team based in the outskirts of Barcelona who also play in the top tier of Spanish football, and Girona FC, who play in the second one.
Spanish basketball's top two tiers are also affected, with the matches of Catalan sides FC Barcelona, Joventut Badalona, Bàsquet Manresa (in the top tier) and ICG Força Lleida included.
Amateur sports events will also be played behind closed doors, and those events "that involve the significant movement of fans in Spain" will also be assessed.