FC Barcelona has waded into local politics by supporting a referendum on Catalan independence. The club is supporting the Pacte Nacional pel Referèndum and allowing the gathering of signatures in favor of such a course of action during matches.
Catalonia, despite being a part of Spain, has its own language, history, and culture. In recent years we have seen an increased push for Catalonia to leave Spain and become its own independent country again.
In 2014, there was a non-binding referendum asking people to vote whether Catalonia should be independent. The vote resulted in a resounding 81% in favor of leaving; however, turnout was 42%, so it’s not known exactly how the vote would have gone if the referendum was binding and more people voted.