Atletico Madrid president Enrique Cerezo has played down a political angle surrounding his side’s clash with Barcelona on Saturday.
The highly anticipated fixture follows the Catalan independence referendum with Atleti’s fan group ‘Frente Atletico’ calling for the Wanda Metropolitano to be filled with Spanish flags for the occasion.
“The past few weeks have been complicated politically, particularly in Barcelona,” Cerezo told El Transistor.
“Our fans know that politics and football are separate issues, as a club we focus on sports and nothing else, no other political issues and that is particularly the case in the current climate.
“This will be a football match, a sporting spectacle that people will attend with family and friends, they will not be attending a political rally or demonstration.
“When we won La Liga at the Camp Nou in 2014, the entire stadium applauded our achievements and that should not be forgotten.”
The Blaugrana have won all seven of their La Liga fixtures going into the match, with Atleti still unbeaten and having won each of their two league matches at their new home.
