'More than a game': Over 30,000 fans turn out for Catalonia vs Palestine friendly

"The score doesn't matter, this is more than a game," Ahmed, from Gaza and studying in Barcelona, told Catalan News moments before the Catalonia-Palestine friendly.

The match drew over 30,000 spectators to the Olympic Stadium on Tuesday night, part of an initiative aimed at sending a "message of hope and solidarity" to the Palestinian people.

Organizers had expressed concerns that the timing, 6.30 pm on a weekday, might affect attendance. Yet the Catalan public turned out in full, filling most of the stadium.

It was the Catalan national team's largest crowd in a decade, in a match where football mattered little.

"My family will be able to watch it," Ahmed says excitedly. The game was broadcast in Palestine on the Palestine Sport Channel.

For Palestinians, the match was historic. "It feels amazing to see all the support from the Catalan people with Palestine," Ahmed adds.

Karim, a Palestinian living in Jordan, traveled overnight to attend. "The world is not looking for us. We are a dead country. It’s an honor for us to be here," he says.

Others, like Hamid and Mohammad, Palestinians living in Catalonia, described seeing the two national teams play together as a dream come true.

"It is a very emotional day. This is a family celebration between the two peoples. These last two years we have felt so welcomed in Catalonia. We have felt really supported. That's why we are so excited by this match," they said.

For many Catalans, the game was an opportunity to support Palestine. "It’s a very important game to raise awareness of the Palestinian cause and the genocide happening in Palestine," Martina says.

"Taking advantage of football, which is such a popular sport, to shed light on this struggle makes it even more significant, even more important," she adds.

Tickets ranged from €5 to €15, with all proceeds donated to humanitarian initiatives supporting Palestine.

"Selling more than 30,000 is genuinely impressive, considering it's a Tuesday night, a regular working day," Luca Gervasoni, spokesperson for the organizing entity Act x Palestine, told Catalan News.

The game comes just four days after the Palestinian national team played the Basque Country in San Mamés, where around 50,000 people attended. 

"The game is on a Tuesday, a working day, with children coming out of school and the match starting early, but we all have to make a maximum effort," Catalan coach Gerard López said ahead of the match.

From 5.30 pm, an hour before kickoff, the Olympic Stadium hosted groups of Catalan popular culture who took part in the opening ceremony.

The anthems of Catalonia and Palestine were performed by a group created for the occasion, bringing together more than 100 singers and combining Catalan and Palestinian voices.

There were also musical performances by Catalan groups Cutemobb, Ginestà, and Ovidi 4, along with Palestinian artist Mohamad Bitari.

Catalonia wins 2-1

Despite football taking a backseat amid the festive atmosphere, the friendly became a celebration of the sport, with the entire stadium united in cheering for both sides.

Catalonia won the game 2-1, taking an early lead in the 4th minute when Ilie Sánchez, the Catalan player currently at Austin FC who has spent most of his career in the MLS, scored.

The Catalans extended their lead to 2-0 in the 27th minute, following a stroke of bad luck for Majahna, who scored an own goal after a brilliant play from Joel Roca, one of Catalonia’s standout players.

The Palestinians had few scoring opportunities, but every time they approached goalkeeper Arnau Tenas, the stadium erupted in support.

In the 30th minute, that support paid off. Following a corner and a rebound, Zeidan seized the opportunity to score Palestine's first goal, a moment celebrated by both the public and the players.

Catalonia fields stellar lineup

The Catalan national team assembled a historic lineup for the match. Because Catalonia plays so few games, its squads are often filled with second-tier players, as marquee names like Lamine Yamal are usually tied up with commitments to Spain or their clubs.

This time, however, coach Gerard López managed to call up one first-team player from FC Barcelona, three from Girona FC, and four from Espanyol CF.

In total, 12 players from Spain's La Liga and one from Portugal's Primeira Liga featured in the squad.

One of the most notable names was Marc Bernal, Barça's highly rated young midfielder. He started the first three matches of last season with impressive performances before suffering a serious knee injury that kept him out until recently.

The squad also included three players from Girona FC; Arnau Martínez and Àlex Moreno, two key figures in the team’s defense, and Joel Roca, who has delivered strong performances this year.

The team with the largest representation was Espanyol, contributing four players: Ramón Terrats, Jofre Carreras, Antoniu Roca, and goalkeeper Àngel Fortuño.