Barcelona fans 'to wave Scottish Saltire' at Cup Final after Spain bans Catalan flag

BARCELONA FANS could fly 10,000 Scottish Saltire flags at Sunday's Copa del Rey final in Madrid after Spanish authorities banned the flying at the match of the Estelada, the flag of Catalonia associated with the pro-independence movement.

Spain's Mundo Deportivo newspaper today says that the Scotland flags are being distributed by the Catalan National Assembly and will be waved as the Barcelona and Sevilla teams walk out under the slogan: “Nos podrán prohibir llevar una bandera, pero no nos podrán prohibir jamás la libertad” (“You may prohibit our flags but you will never prohibit our freedom”).

The flags will be waved again after 17 minutes and 14 seconds (1714 being the year that Catalunya became part of the Spanish kingdom).

Barcelona has lodged an appeal to the Madrid courts and says the club believes there has been “an infringement of the fundamental right to freedom of expression”.

The club said:

“FC Barcelona defends, and will continue to defend, freedom of expression of its members and supporters.”

Barca have been fined thousands of euro by UEFA over the appearance of Catalan flags in previous matches.