The vibe was tense before the Espanyol-Barcelona derby on Thursday as fans gathered to celebrate a huge La Liga match.
Barcelona’s 2-0 win allowed them to claim their 28th league title, which was a cause for celebration for Hansi Flick’s group, but the incident before the match overshadowed these festivities.
17 people were injured after a car drove through a crowd of supporters outside the stadium.
The incident occurred while Espanyol supporters were greeting their team’s bus – a video on social media shows a vehicle having stopped near the bins before speeding into the crowd.
The driver was arrested under suspicion of dangerous driving, causing injuries and dangerous driving.
According to police, four injured people went to the hospital, however, none were seriously injured, and the worst injury was a broken leg, as reported by the BBC.
Ten ambulances were sent to the site.
The match was held up for a moment, so the ref could speak with police, but the police assured them that the incident did not pose a threat to anybody in the stadium.
Catalonia’s president, Salvador Illa, who was in attendance, said it was an accident with no serious injuries, and he urged calm in a statement given to Movistar Plus.
The title victory by Barcelona, who played masterfully with creative tactics and some amazing performances from youth, Lamine Yamal among them, was what the fans were concerned with the most, but the incident serves to emphasize the need for safety and security at high-stakes events.
The investigation will be pursued on both sides, and the footballing world will look back at a day where victory and concern coexisted.
Barcelona’s La Liga title triumph was marred by a concerning incident outside the stadium, highlighting the critical need for enhanced safety measures at major football events.
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