COLUMN: You’ve heard the players, here are the reasons La Liga should have stopped after DANA storm | OneFootball

The DANA storm in Spain has left more than 200 dead over the last week, while 1,200 remain missing. The storm hit Valencia’s region, and has provoked chaos and anger across the country. Spain was largely unprepared for it, as local governor Carlos Mazon ignored early warnings. By the time he and the government had warned the affected communities, it was too late.

Valencia’s weekend match, opposing Los Che against Real Madrid, was postponed on request. Games in the surrounding cities were also cancelled, such as Villarreal-Rayo Vallecano. While these were the only two clubs in La Liga to see postponed games, something felt wrong. Valencia’s tragedy wasn’t only Valencia’s. It is a Spanish tragedy, the most lethal disaster in recent history (The 11M terrorist attack in Atocha left 196 dead). The weekend saw a procession of coaches appear for their usual duties pre- and post-match, all carrying the same message – we should not playing.

There is little doubt that what happened in Valencia has traumatised the country. Injured Barcelona player Ferran Torres could not think straight, coach Hansi Flick mentioning that ‘he was thinking about Valencia’. He wasn’t alone. Jose Bordalas also mentioned the psychological impact of playing despite the catastrophe: ‘Football fans are focused on the tragedy. I don’t know what my colleagues have said, but this round of games shouldn’t have been played’. He was joined by Barcelona coach Hansi Flick: ‘If I had been taking the decision, I might have cancelled it’.

La Liga president Javier Tebas argued the opposite, claiming that “the best message is to carry on”. His argument being that as several clubs donated their match revenue to the victims, this would bring a positive impact. He’s not entirely wrong, as several clubs across the country and in different leagues decided to do so.

What Javier Tebas missed is the real impact of the DANA. The worst affected villages surrounding Valencia are not only dealing with floods, or an inland ‘tsunami’ as many referred to it, but with homelessness. Several hundreds if not thousands of inhabitants were forced to flee, with nearly 850,000 people reportedly impacted. Some could afford to do so, but others could not. There were cases of people squatting in other houses, as they had nowhere to go.

Companies like Mercadona still forced employees to come to work despite the dire situation. Are these people meant to enjoy football? The sport was always an escape for money, but it remains “the most important thing of the unimportant things,” as Carlo Ancelotti reminded us on Monday. That was ahead of a Champions League match between the two most successful clubs in European history, yet one that again doesn’t really feel relevant. Many players couldn’t focus, as they worried about their families. Some players in Valencia saw their homes being destroyed. It’s hard to argue that football frees them from this tragedy, when they can’t think about anything else but their homes.

What’s the point? Sure, there were great games. Real Betis and Athletic Club faced each other in a wonderful 1-1 draw, and there were entertaining bouts too. Still, it’s hard to argue in favour of Tebas’ reasoning. La Liga washed its hands full of blood, by ordering a one minute of silence at the beginning of all matches. El Pais’ Ramon Besa pointed out that often the silences don’t even last a minute, questioning what exactly does have to happen to make football stop?  As if that was enough, as if football must be played under any circumstance.

The DANA storm isn’t over either. The weather forecast foresees further strong rainfall. Just yesterday, Barcelona and its surroundings were also hit by floods. For Valencia, matters are expected to be even worse; more floods are expected. Simultaneously, the storm expanded south, as citizens were told to avoid traveling by car if possible. It’s something present, not something that has happened.

Furthermore, the nation is angrier than ever. Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez and the King  and Queen of Spain, Felipe VI and Queen Letizia, were met with mud thrown at them upon their arrival. It’s clear that the Spanish population isn’t just disappointed or in the shock. They are angry, reasonably so.

It’s in this context that Tebas believed football should be played. Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone was also part of the contingent of managers who condemned the decision. When nobody but Tebas seems to be in favour of playing, it’s worth questioning whether football should have continued. It’s hard to imagine that the fan who lost his home and some relatives would want to watch La Liga. It felt disrespectful and pointless. Football is a source of entertainment for the people, which is a non-essential matter for the public.

Most clubs brought forward excellent initiatives, as the Mestalla became a centre of collection for donations destined to the victims of the storm. Many were without shelter, water or electricity. It’s understood that it would’ve been healthier to pause football, honour the victims and dedicate the weekend to help, instead of playing because Javier Tebas said so.

Kai E. Iliev can be found on social media here, and if you’re hungry for more, his excellent work can be found on Medium too.