Irritation in Spain at UEFA refusal over Abidal shirts

Mar 16, 2011, 14:35 GMT

Madrid - A decision by European football body UEFA not to allow Real Madrid and Lyon to wear shirts in support of Barcelona's Eric Abidal before their Champions League showdown has led tom irritation in Spain.

Defender Abidal, 31, will undergo on Thursday an emergency operation to undergo a tumor on his liver. He will almost certainly be out of action for the rest of the season.

Real and Lyon, Abidal's hometown club - who sold him to Barcelona in 2007 - asked UEFA if they could wear a shirt in support of Abidal before their round of 16 second leg clash, only to be refused.

The websites of all of Spain's sporting papers, as well as supporters' blogs, have criticized UEFA's attitude.

Barca playmaker Xavi, when told about UEFA's refusal on Wednesday, said: 'This seems wrong to me. It doesn't seem very human. If they have really vetoed this, I think it's wrong. There are things more important, like life itself. Sometimes we give priority to things which have nothing to do with important things.'

Abidal met his Barca team-mates before training on Wednesday to thank them for their messages of support.

Xavi said that 'it is a very sad day for everyone. These are difficult moments for him (Abidal) and his family. He is one of the mentally strongest people that I know, and an example for the dressing-room. I am sure he will recover from this.'

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