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Barcelona has canceled a planned friendly match, scheduled for August 15 in Tangier, Morocco, against a local team of the same name. The decision stems from the ongoing migrant crisis and the tragic events in the neighboring Spanish enclave of Ceuta. The La Liga giants were set to receive a €4.5 million fee for their participation in the fixture.
In an official statement, the club announced its withdrawal from the friendly in northern Morocco, citing the “current context of uncertainty.” “Given the current uncertainty, FC Barcelona believes that the conditions for holding this match are not met,” the Catalan club’s statement read. The club did not specify who their opponent was supposed to be.
Tangier is approximately fifty kilometers by air from Ceuta, where in late July, 72,000 migrants illegally entered within a few days. This triggered a significant social and diplomatic crisis. According to Spanish authorities, 70,000 of them have since returned to Morocco.
Nearly 80 people have lost their lives attempting to reach Ceuta from Morocco, with most drowning in the Mediterranean Sea. Among the victims was Faten Ben Amar El Azizi, a young female footballer from the Maghreb Atletico Tetouan club.
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