Despite the general strike: Barcelona refuse to stop and the Camp Nou opens its doors to fans
While the streets of Spain stood almost empty, transport was at a standstill and movement was paralysed by the general strike, there was one place in Catalonia that refused to surrender to the silence: Barcelona.
On Wednesday 11 November, the day Spain's main trade unions called a general strike, Barcelona experienced an exceptional day. The turnout was mixed, but the outcome was clear: life goes on, and the fans always come first.
The club let its employees exercise their right to strike entirely freely, without any pressure or restrictions. At the same time, it facilitated remote working for those who might struggle to reach their workplaces because of transport disruptions, according to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
That decision reflected the club's respect for the rights of its workers, and its determination not to interrupt vital services to members and fans.
From the early morning hours, the impact was noticeable. Traffic fell well below the usual level around the club and the stadium, and attendance looked lower than on ordinary days, something natural on a day when many prefer to stay at home.
The surprise came at both the club store, "Botiga", and the museum, where crowds gathered despite the drop in general attendance.
Visitors and fans of all ages and nationalities flocked to the store and the museum. They took advantage of the quiet to enjoy the experience of visiting Barcelona's home far from the matchday crowds, to take souvenir photos, and to pick up the team's shirts and memorabilia.
In the store, at the club's fans' office and at the members' and users' service office, a number of employees went on strike. That did not stop members and fans from getting the help they needed.
Management put in place an alternative plan to keep essential services running, drafting in enough employees to serve the fans so that no visitor would feel any shortfall or disruption on the day of the strike.
The famous stadium tour continued to receive visitors as normal, though it too saw fewer tourists, given that it coincided with the break in the season and with many people staying away from travel on this exceptional day.
On the new Camp Nou project, according to sources consulted by "Mundo Deportivo", the strike was almost non-existent among the construction workers. They carried on with their tasks more or less normally, without the pace of work slowing on the huge project every Barcelona fan around the world is awaiting.
Even so, the area surrounding the stadium saw little activity, with just one day to go before an eagerly awaited match. The women's team face Arsenal in the Champions League on Thursday, and all the outdoor areas had to be prepared to welcome the fans.
Organisation, security and logistics teams are working flat out to prepare every detail of the big European night. Activity is expected to return to full force around the stadium after a relatively quiet day imposed by the general strike.
Between those who exercised their right to strike and those who kept working from home or inside the club, Barcelona proved once again that it is not just a football club, but an institution capable of balancing respect for its employees' rights with its commitment to its fans and visitors.
On a day when all of Spain came to a standstill, Barcelona was present, open and ready as usual, sending a clear message to everyone: here, in the heart of Catalonia, life never stops.
