European champions Barcelona have launched a
fundraising campaign in collaboration with the Red Cross to raise funds for
victims of the refugee crisis engulfing Europe.
"FC Barcelona wants to involve all its
social mass (members, fans and fan clubs), its sportsmen (professional players
and coaches) and economic agents (sponsors and suppliers) to obtain economic
resources and make donations to the Red Cross, who will attend the needs of the
refugees," the club said in a statement on Friday.
Star players such as Lionel Messi and Neymar will
front an advertising campaign to raise money for the project that will be
launched when Barca host Levante at the Camp Nou on Sunday.
The club also confirmed it will work with local
authorities to ease the integration process of those that arrive in the Catalan
capital.
The move is the latest in a series of attempts on
the part of Spanish football to help with the crisis.
The Syrian refugee who made world headlines when
he and his son were tripped up by a Hungarian camerawoman as they entered the
country has been handed a new life in Spain by a football coaching school.
Osama Abdul Mohsen, a former first division
football coach in Syria, and his sons Mohammad, 18, and Zaid, seven, have been
welcomed by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez at the club's Bernabeu
stadium and invited to Los Blancos' clash against Granada on Saturday.
Real Madrid also donated one million euros ($A1.6
million) to support projects for refugees in Spain.
Real Sociedad have pledged their support by
meeting housing expenses and providing educational grants in the northern
Gipuzkoa region.
Meanwhile, Villarreal will donate 100 per cent of
the gate receipts from their match against Athletic Bilbao on Sunday to
charitable causes helping refugees.
UEFA have also pledged a donation of two million
euros to help young refugees "in Europe and beyond" via the organisation's
Foundation for Children initiative.
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