Barcelona has announced the indefinite closure of the Espai d’Animació (EDA), the singing section behind the North Goal at the Olympic Stadium. This decision follows a dispute with supporter groups over unpaid fines related to fan behavior, amounting to approximately €21,000 ($22,092). The ban begins with Tuesday’s Champions League match against Brest.
The EDA, consisting of around 600 seats, was established to enhance the matchday atmosphere. However, the club’s agreement with the supporter groups to cover fines for behavioral violations has not been fulfilled. Last season, 14 disciplinary cases were brought against fans in the section, prompting repeated warnings and deadlines for payment.
Barcelona issued a statement emphasizing their repeated attempts to recover the funds: “The club, after repeated warnings, initiated the process to recover the money owed for sanctions imposed for [the fans’] behavior last season. The last deadline expired on Monday at midnight. Having failed to comply, the club will close the EDA indefinitely.”
Albert Yarza, president of the Penya Almogàvers, one of the groups within the EDA, expressed frustration: “We wanted to meet with the club to discuss the situation, but the club insisted on conditional payment of €21,000, which we cannot assume as a group.”
Yarza added that the group had taken internal measures to discourage inappropriate behavior but felt unfairly penalized for individual infractions. He emphasized that EDA members are screened by multiple filters, including the club and the police, before entering the stadium. “You cannot criminalize an entire collective for individual actions. There are 572 of us in the EDA, but only 14 fines.”
The closure impacts not only Tuesday’s Champions League clash but also Saturday’s La Liga fixture against Las Palmas. Barcelona reiterated their willingness to reopen discussions once the fines are paid.
The incident highlights tensions between fan groups and club management over accountability for crowd behavior. While the EDA aims to foster support and energy for the team, this dispute underscores the challenges of managing fan sections in compliance with disciplinary regulations.
The club’s decision to close the EDA reflects its firm stance on enforcing agreements, even at the cost of matchday atmosphere, as the team temporarily plays at the Olympic Stadium during Camp Nou’s renovations.