FC Barcelona, the city's world famous football club, backed the call for Catalan self-determination, despite a threat from Spain's football league that it would be excluded if the region chose to secede.

Photograph Yes Catalonia Facebook

In a statement on Friday, FC Barcelona, said it had signed the Catalan National Pact for Self-Determination.

"The Club formalised their adhesion in a formal letter from President Josep Maria Bartomeu to the Pact Co-ordinator Joan Rigol. The Pact brings together over 3,500 organisations and associations from a wide spectre range of social and political positions which endorse the Catalan people's right to self-determination," the club said.

Pointing to a previous declaration made by the club president in 2013, FC Barcelona added:

"FC Barcelona has already signalled its position in favour of self-determination for Catalonia in a declaration made in the President’s Report at the 2013 Members Representatives Meeting – the maximum authority of the Club."

"In that statement, then President Sandro Rosell explained: "we will always be there for our country and for the will of its people. We defend the right to self-determination because that forms a part of the fundamental rights which all people and nations must have”.

Last month, the Catalan president called for an independence referendum on November 9, despite Madrid's refusal to accept the legality of any such vote.

Following his announcement, Spain's constitutional court ruled that a secession vote would be unconstitutional. The ruling prompted thousands of Catalans to take to the streets in protest.

Last week Catalan's regional government said it would make a decision on whether to push ahead with the referendum by October 15.