Ben Pawlowski
AT least 15 football supporters have been injured after a car drove through a crowd prior to last night’s crunch Catalan derby between Espanyol and league leaders Barcelona.
Videos of the incident shared on social media show a white car stopping outside the RCDE stadium in Barcelona, home to Espanyol.
The vehicle then speeds through a crowd of Espanyol supporters, knocking several people to the floor.
Armed police and angry fans can be seen chasing the car as it drives away.
Catalan police said a woman was arrested in relation to the incident, which left several supporters requiring urgent medical treatment.
Three people have been hospitalised, while 11 of the injuries are described as minor.
The incident occurred 90 minutes before Espanyol vs Barcelona as home supporters awaited the arrival of their team bus.
Five minutes into the match, a large section of Espanyol supporters vacated their seats in protest against the game continuing. The game was briefly paused in the eighth minute as referee Cesar Soto Grado was briefed by police about the serious situation.
Salvador Illa, the Catalan president, was present at the game and told the Spanish TV channel Movistar Plus: “It was an accident, some people were injured, but not seriously. There are no major incidents to report.”
The incident overshadowed a historic success for Barcelona who sealed the La Liga title with a 2-0 victory over ten-man Espanyol.
Sumptuous second-half goals from Lamine Yamal and Fermin Lopez ensured that Barcelona moved to an insurmountable position of seven points clear of arch rivals Real Madrid with just two rounds of matches remaining.
The victory means that Hansi Flick has completed a domestic treble in his first season following triumphs in the Supercopa de España in January and the Copa del Rey last month.
READ MORE: WATCH: Clueless French tourists ask football superstar Lamine Yamal to take their photo
After the match, Espanyol turned on the pitch’s sprinklers in an attempt to curtail their celebrations and force the visitors off.
Officials had feared a repeat of the derby in May 2023 when Barcelona also sealed the La Liga title away at their Catalan rivals. On that occasion, Barcelona’s celebrations were interrupted after Espanyol ultras invaded the pitch and attempted to attack the side after they had been dancing around the centre circle.
