Rabat – Barcelona declined to participate in a campaign supporting Ceuta before Sunday’s LaLiga match against Levante, becoming the only club among those approached for the recent fixtures to opt out of the initiative.
Levante players entered the pitch wearing shirts bearing the slogan “Todos somos Caballas,” roughly meaning “We are all from Ceuta,” while Barcelona’s squad appeared in their regular club kit.
According to El País, Barcelona’s decision was made at the institutional level. The newspaper noted, however, that the club had not issued an official statement explaining its position.
The campaign was launched on September 11 by the Valencian Association of Entrepreneurs (AVE), which described it as an initiative intended to express solidarity with Ceuta’s residents following the migration crisis that began in late July.
Mbappé, Vinícius, and Konaté decline to display message
The controversy expanded on Tuesday when Real Madrid faced Elche.
Although both clubs agreed to participate, Mbappé and Vinícius rolled up their shirts, concealing the slogan, while Konaté held his shirt rather than wearing it, according to Reuters.
A Real Madrid official told Reuters that the club had accepted Elche’s proposal but respected individual players’ freedom to decide whether to participate.
Mbappé subsequently explained his decision in comments to AS, saying he supported Ceuta’s residents but also wanted to acknowledge migrants who had died or were experiencing difficult conditions.
The French forward said his intention was to express solidarity with everyone affected rather than prioritize one group’s suffering over another.
Abde controversy brings Moroccan dimension
The initiative had already generated criticism in Morocco after international winger Abde Ezzalzouli wore the shirt alongside his Real Betis teammates before Monday’s match against Villarreal.
Ezzalzouli later clarified on Instagram that he understood the gesture as social support for people experiencing difficult circumstances, regardless of nationality. He denied that it carried a political message or was intended to offend Moroccans.
The debate reflects the sensitivity surrounding Ceuta, which is administered by Spain but claimed by Morocco.
On Wednesday, Spanish lawmaker Alberto Ibáñez of Compromís defended footballers’ freedom of expression while warning that support for Ceuta should not become a message that divides people over national identity or encourages racism.
Barcelona’s decision and the contrasting responses from Real Madrid’s players have brought renewed attention to how a campaign presented by its organizers as a solidarity initiative is being interpreted across Spanish and Moroccan football.
