The owner of an Israeli football team said he cancelled an upcoming friendly game against Barcelona FC after the Spanish giants refused to play in Jerusalem.

According to Israeli media, the friendly had been set to be held at Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium next month.

But Barcelona FC made the “unequivocal demand that the game not take place in the capital, Jerusalem”, Beitar Jerusalem owner Moshe Hogeg wrote in Hebrew on Facebook. 

A game against Beitar deserved to take place in Jerusalem, the club owner wrote, suggesting the reason for the request could have been “political.”

Mr Hogeg, who described himself as a Barcelona fan, said he had “to go with my heart and against my head” and couldn’t “betray Jerusalem.”

The Associated Press reports that Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion backed the decision to cancel the game. 

The planned friendly had come under criticism from activists and other pro-Palestinian voices. 

Joint List MK Sami Abou Shehadeh tweeted on Thursday that he “welcomed” the game’s cancellation, writing that “#Catalunya is a friend of our people.”

He had previously made the demand in an appeal to the Spanish club’s president and said Barcelona had “thousands” of supporters in the occupied Palestinian terrorities. 

Barcelona FC did not immediately return a request for comment.