Barcelona have released a statement accusing Sevilla of launching an ‘unjustified and inappropriate attack’ on the club just hours before the two teams were due to meet in their La Liga match on Friday night. The Catalan club are hosting their Andalusian counterparts at their temporary home, the Montjuic Olympic Stadium, but were staggered to find that senior officials from Sevilla had refused to sit with them for a traditional pre-match lunch.
In a 313-word statement released on Friday evening, the Spanish champions detailed how Sevilla officials had allegedly refused to engage in the traditional pre-match lunch event between the clubs’ directors.
It is also claimed that the La Liga outfit’s chiefs declined an invitation to sit in the stadium’s honorary box.
Barcelona’s statement was published in retaliation to Sevilla, who had released their own communication, stating their ‘complete outrage and condemnation’ in relation to the alleged actions of Barcelona’s directors.