Figueras: Barcelona have accepted the health reasons for no fans
Barça's UCL game against Napoli will be played in an empty stadium
The Catalan health and sports ministries were in charge of announcing that Barcelona's Champions League game against Napoli, scheduled for Match 18 at Camp Nou, will be played behind closed doors as part of measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The announcement, in a news conference, was made on Tuesday after a meeting between that involved the health ministry, a representation from Barcelona (CEO Oscar Grau, director Albert Soler and the chief of the club's medical services, Ramon Canal) and the minister for sport in Catalonia, Gerard Figueras.
"The recommendation is that the game be played behind closed doors for health reasons and Barcelona have accepted that," said Gerard Figueras.
"The club accepted the decision as their own and are going to apply all of the government's recommendations. We are grateful that they are putting people's safety first."
Meanwhile, government official Joan Guiz said the decision was taken on a "strictly health" basis and said an alternative solution was never considered, denying rumours about the possibility of playing the match without the 5,000 Napoli fans that had purchased tickets.
Barça join other clubs in playing European games behind closed doors, including Valencia-Atalanta,. Juventus-Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain-Borussia Dortmund.
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