UDINE. When a post runs away and a commendable initiative risks turning into a mini diplomatic “case”. This is what happened on Udinese’s social profiles, channels that are always prompt in enhancing the multi-ethnic identity of the squad now in the hands of Mr. Sottil. The Friulian club, however, on Thursday 8 September was caught out on the always delicate question.
In fact, with the approach of the Feast of Catalonia on 11 September, a graphic bearing the face of its internal spokesperson, Gerard Deulofeu, appeared on the Juventus club’s feeds and bulletin boards. Nothing strange: for example, the same choice had been adopted, a few hours earlier, on the occasion of the Independence Day of Brazil, the “heads” of Becao and Walace in relief, the gold-green flag in the background.
Here, the use of a flag in the Catalunya-themed celebrations was, however, the reason why some Spanish media were forced to lay their eyes on the social activity of the Friulian club. The reason? Deulofeu did not appear associated with the senyera, the official flag of Catalonia, but with the estelada, the banner used by citizens and independence movements of the same autonomous community.
In short, think of an exchange between the flag of Friuli and the regional cloth on April 3, the day of the homeland of Friuli. Add an institutional conflict caused by the centuries-old Catalan independence and that’s it. The omelette, of course.
Not even the time to cancel the crime on social media, then, that the misstep was already being republished beyond our borders. At the base of the venial – it must be said – protests on Iberian soil, the vision of the player himself in relation to his origins, to his sense of belonging. “I feel both Spanish and Catalan,” the striker from Riudarenes said in an interview with “Marca” in 2020, thus avoiding possible accusations of activism at home. In this regard, in his curriculum there are appearances with both selections.
Former captain of the Spanish Under 21, from Furia Rossa the player collected, in 2011 and 2012, two European Under 19 Cups. 2018. Against France, in a friendly match, a goal for him too: nothing to show off, of course. Whether ever or later there are some gaffes.