Barcelona to aid in rebuilding Chapecoense

As a sign of respect to the victims of the Colombia plane crash, Spanish side Barcelona have paid their tributes by asking Chapecoense to be their opponents at the 2017 edition of the Joan Gamper trophy – which, according to Brazilian publication Globosport, has been accepted by the South American side.

The La Liga giants had pledged to assist in the reconstruction of the Brazilian side that suffered the loss of several players and staff in an air crash on November 28, and had invited Chapecoense to participate in the pre-season Joan Gamper tournament next August at the Camp Nou.

“Barcelona has agreed to invite the Brazilian team Chapecoense, victim of a tragic air accident as they headed for the final of the Copa Sudamericana, to the next edition of the Joan Gamper trophy,” a club statement read.

“With the invitation to Chapecoense to the 2017 Joan Gamper trophy FC Barcelona wishes to help with the institutional and sporting reconstruction of the club,” it added.

Read also: Brazil play Colombia to raise funds for Chapecoense victims

The statement, which insinuated that Barca wanted to pay homage to the 71 people who were killed in the crash, and their loved ones, added it hoped the initiative would help the Brazilian club “regain the level of competition it previously had.”

The entire Chapecoence squad were almost wiped out when their Bolivian airline Lamia plane went down in a mountainous region, outside Medellin, Colombia. And just three players, two crew members and a journalist survived the crash.

 

 

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