Barcelona’s big-money footballers are banned from SHOWERING after games amid Catalonia’s worst-ever drought

• Barcelona are currently seven points shy of top sport in the Spanish top-flight 
• Rainfall in Spain has been around 17 per cent below the 30-year average
• Will Marcus Rashford EVER be the real deal? Listen to It’s All Kicking Off 

Barcelona have been banned from taking showers at their own home stadium as Catalonia fights to manage a record drought. 

The Catalan giants are currently playing at the 54,000-seater Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium while the iconic Nou Camp undergoes renovations and remodeling across town. 

However the Blaugrana stars will not be able to enjoy the washing facilities at their temporary home given the long-term drought the region is experiencing. 

The club were warned that they must ‘compensate’ for any extra water that they use at either their stadium or the training ground as Spain battles drought.  

David Mascort, Minister of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda, told Cadena SAR: ‘What Barca has to do is compensate for the water it uses with irrigation and save with showers. Whether in Montjuic [home stadium] or in the Ciutat Esportiva [training facility].

Xavi’s side are facing a ban against showering at their own stadium amid a record drought in Catalonia

Rainfall in Spain has been around 17 per cent below the 30-year average according to Reuters

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‘All these equipment consume a lot of water and have the obligation to reduce their compensation.

‘If they [Barca] want to continue watering the fields, they will have to compensate even more for what they consume.’

Therefore, the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Ilkay Gundogan and Joao Felix will not be able to shower at their own ground, but will be forced to do so at home to cut down on water usage.  

According to Reuters, rainfall in Spain has been around 17 per cent below the 30-year average. 

As a result, reservoirs in some areas of Catalonia in the northeast and Andalucia in the south are currently thought to be at just 15 per cent capacity.  

As such, water bills in principle cities in those two regions Barcelona, Malaga and Sevilla are set to change, with the latter two already announcing bill hikes earlier this year. 

For the Catalan city, bills are set to increase by 11-16 per cent, as well as in 22 other municipalities across the nation. 

It is the worst ever record drought in Catalonia, which has entered a pre-emergency phase, with water consumption slashed by 20 litres to just 210 a day. 

Barcelona now find themselves in fourth spot in La Liga, seven points off leaders Girona 

Catalonia have entered into a ‘pre-emergency’ state as a result of the record drought

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Barca are currently fourth in LaLiga after a bruising defeat to shock leaders Girona, seven points ahead on 41 in the standings, with both Madrid sides in between them and the Blaugrana. 

Girona beat Xavi’s side 4-2 at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Sunday to reclaim top spot from Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid. 

As a result, speculation has arisen over Xavi’s future in the dugout at Barcelona, with the surprise package blowing them off the park with a thrilling tiki-taka style reminiscent of Pep Guardiola’s Barca team. 

They are in action on Wednesday night looking to get back to winning ways when they travel to Belgium to take on Royal Antwerp in the Champions League.

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