COLUMN: When Barcelona lost its voice – and are they about to find it again? – Football España

After two years of dissatisfaction between Barcelona’s board and different supporter groups, it looks like the disputes may finally coming to an end. In a delicate atmosphere, as only one point separates the Catalans from Real Madrid, President Joan Laporta cannot make the same mistake twice. 

Penya Almogavers, Front 532, Nostra Ensenya, and Supporters Barca: together, they formed the Grada d’Animacio, often labelled as Barca’s ultras, formally the singing section. Most of them support a pro-Catalan agenda and are known to be the most passionate fans in the ground. It came at a price: a hefty €21k fine. The charges accumulated from different matches, according to disciplinary reports, due to offensive symbols which included Nazi references as well as chants saying ‘Flick Heil’. 

Laporta chose the sword: the club wouldn’t pay the fine. Nor would the supporters, arguing that these had been isolated incidents. The consequence? A definitive closure of the Grada d’Animacio, depriving players of their most passionate fans when it mattered most. Raphinha intervened, offering to pay the fine in the name of the fans. Yet Laporta refused, insisting that there needed to be consequences for tarnishing the club’s reputation.

It was not about the money. Barcelona can pay the fine. They chose not to, because the controversy revealed a deeper divide. Fans accused Laporta of prioritising international fans (tourists) instead of the local fanbase, famously the loudest. anti-Laporta chants followed, particularly after the board came out with its own Grada d’Animacio: the Grada Jove, with the goal of creating a pro-Laporta equivalent, or at least, that is how it was perceived. 

Soon after, supporters from the previously mentioned groups withdrew, effectively boycotting matches. Players suffered the most from it. Fans frequently complained about a worryingly silent Montjuic, further increasing support for the return of the Grada d’Animacio. Club officials, such as vice-president Elena Fort, argued that a new model needed to be drawn, with increased control over who gets to support what. Publicly, Laporta refused to concede an agreement, maintaining his veto against the demands of the Grada d’Animacio. 

However, these last weeks, both parties finally made progress. Laporta began recognising that not all supporters of the Grada d’Animacio endorsed the actions of individuals. He increasingly treated them as authentic stakeholders of the club, pushing back against the blanket ‘ultras’ label. Earlier this week, the club announced that a new Grada d’Animacio is now in the plans, this time involving the four key groups, a move confirmed by Penya Almogavers through their official social media channels.

It is the first time since November that a viable solution appears within reach. Penya Almogavers, in particular, have long been the most vocal in defending Catalan culture. They best represent local identity in the stands, waving the Senyera more than any other group. 

Laporta cannot afford to make a mistake with them – or with the other groups that have repeatedly shown their importance as the club’s ’12th man’, without whom football at the Camp Nou has never felt the same. His first tenure was successful precisely because he sought broad backing across supporter groups, something his current stint has too often lacked. By alienating the Grada d’Animacio, he isolated the board from the fans.

🚨 FC Barcelona’s new Grada d’Animació at the Spotify Camp Nou will have to wait some more time. Barça are still pending key permits to increase capacity and open Gol Nord, expected around mid-to-late February. The fan section Gol 1957, planned for the south end and designed for… pic.twitter.com/JehDJaP2l5

— barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 18, 2026

The current situation is not delicate solely for economic reasons. In his attempt to improve the club’s finances, Laporta has raised ticket prices. Beyond that, he has elevated himself above the fanbase, which is dangerous territory for the remainder of his mandate. Elections are approaching, and supporters are more divided than ever. Between the slow return to Camp Nou and sustained tension with key supporter groups, Laporta must rediscover harmony at all levels. 

Thus far, he appears to have prioritised his loyalists, promoting a more controlled, almost authoritarian style of support. Laporta seems intent on setting his own tone, forgetting that the club’s motto, mes que un club, remains deeply embedded in the memories of the most passionate fans as they enter the stands. The closure of the Grada d’Animacio was never about economics. Those problems can be solved, even if it takes time. It exposed a deeper divide between a president testing the limits of his authority, and a fanbase that is pushing back. On the eve of the elections, Laporta cannot afford a moral defeat, or an identity crisis.