By Olaitan Ibrahim
Barcelona’s La Liga match against Osasuna was postponed on Saturday after one of the club’s first team doctors died.
“Barcelona is sorry to announce the sad news of the death of the first team Doctor, Carles Minarro Garcia, this afternoon,” said the club in a statement.
“For this reason, the match between Barcelona and Osasuna has been postponed until a later date.
“The board of directors and all the staff at Barcelona wish to convey our most sincere condolences to his family and friends, we are with them at this difficult time.”
Fans had begun entering the Olympic stadium for the league leaders’ clash against Osasuna, before it was called off around 20 minutes before the expected kick off at 2000 GMT.
“Osasuna wishes to convey its deepest condolences to the family of Doctor Carles Minarro Garcia and would like to send a big hug at this difficult time to all the staff of Barcelona, as well as their fans. May he rest in peace,” said Osasuna on social media platform X.
Osasuna president Luis Sabalza said his team had no objection whatsoever to the match being postponed.
“We understand that life is the most important thing, and you can’t play a game thinking that the person with whom you’ve lived with for so long is not there anymore,” he said in a statement.
On Monday, Villarreal’s game against Espanyol in La Liga was also postponed because of a heavy rain alert in the region.