Play halted during Barcelona vs. Espanyol after car hits supporters outside stadium

Time of India

15-05-2025

The incident happened moments before the eagerly anticipated La Liga clash between Barcelona and Espanyol at the RCDE Stadium in Cornellà de Llobregat. The game was temporarily interrupted early in the opening minutes when a car drove into a group of fans outside the stadium.
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The incident immediately raised an alarm, with medical and police teams reaching the spot.
Details of the incident outside RCDE Stadium
A white Peugeot 208 reportedly driven by a woman spun out of control and drove into the fans outside the entrance of the stadium. The taxi was said to have driven in fits and starts, forwards and backwards, before it stopped. Thirteen were injured, nine slightly, four less seriously.
Around a dozen are believed to have been injured, but none seriously, after a driver lost control of their vehicle and ploughed into fans prior to the game.
The event has understandably spooked all those associated with the fans at the RCDE stadium, with increased security reported around the ground. The club and local officials have since revealed that they would review and add more elements to crowd safety protocols to ensure such an incident does not repeat itself.
Match proceedings resume after the incident
Meanwhile, outside the stadium, the tension continued, but for a while, the match went ahead. The game was stopped after about the eighth minute by referee César Soto Grado, who consulted with security officials and evaluated the circumstances.
The stadium's public address system informed fans that no one was seriously hurt, and the game continued a short time later.
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The RCDE Stadium seats about 40,000 and is situated in the Barcelona metropolitan area. It is the stadium of RCD Espanyol, and due to its proximity to the major routes, it becomes a good area on match days. The episode has sparked questions about safety for pedestrians around the stadium.
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As investigations continue, both clubs have expressed their relief that the situation was resolved without any life-threatening injuries. The focus now shifts to ensuring the safety of supporters attending future matches and preventing such incidents from occurring again.