Barcelona ban fan group from Camp Nou following supporter misconduct

Barcelona have temporarily banned members of the "Gol 1957" supporters group for Saturday night's La Liga clash against Alaves following crowd trouble during the recent El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid.

The "Grada d'Animacio" singing section at Camp Nou will remain closed, with Barca stating that the supporters' conduct not only carries the risk of financial penalties but also damages the Catalan club's image.

La Liga reported 10 disciplinary incidents involving Barca supporters during Sunday's home loss to Real Madrid. One fan in the section struck Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga with a flag following the visitors' winning goal.

Abuse directed at Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho and left-back Marc Cucurella, a former Barca academy product, was also referred to the league's disciplinary committee.

"The decision comes in response to a series of investigations launched against the club and some of its members following behaviour contrary to the values of sport," Barcelona said in a statement. "Such conduct exposes the club to financial fines and the risk of stadium closures, while also damaging its image."

The statement added that club officials will meet with representatives from "Gol 1957" to resolve the situation, hoping to allow their return for the next home match against Aston Villa in the Champions League on 3 November.

"Gol 1957", named after the year Camp Nou first opened, is located in the lower tier of the stadium's south stand and dedicated to organised fan groups. The section was first introduced in March this year with an 800-seat capacity.

In November 2024, while Barcelona were playing at Montjuic during renovation work on Camp Nou, the club closed part of their home ground "indefinitely" following repeated fines related to fan misconduct.