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New York Times
18-05-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
How Barcelona celebrated winning La Liga – players cycling to see Torres and 670,000 fans in the streets
The Barcelona players formed a circle and started jumping on the pitch. They had been La Liga champions for about 30 seconds on Thursday night when their coach, Hansi Flick, ran over and started urging each player towards the dressing room. Some of them who were ignoring him were given a small push in the right direction. Advertisement Less than a minute after the referee blew the final whistle, the RCDE Stadium (home of Barcelona's cross-city rivals, Espanyol) turned on the sprinklers to bring an even more abrupt end to the title winners' celebrations. Two years ago, Barcelona were crowned champions in the same venue under Xavi Hernandez. That occasion hurt even more for Espanyol — not only did they have to watch their rivals lift the title, the result also relegated them to Spain's second division. There was a pitch invasion and the Espanyol supporters chased after the Barcelona players, who had to be evacuated by the police. Flick asked for respect if Barcelona won the title there again and he was very keen to avoid a repeat of what happened last time. 'It was very clear on the pitch that we couldn't celebrate,' Flick said at the post-match press conference. Their celebrations were only just getting started. There was dancing in the dressing room, with president Joan Laporta and sporting vice-president Rafa Yuste joining in the fun. The players made a video call to Ferran Torres, who missed the match and the celebrations after undergoing emergency surgery for appendicitis, and the Polish goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny lit the first cigar, which he shared with his compatriot Robert Lewandowski. The squad took the bus back to Barcelona's training ground, just 6km away from the RCDE Stadium. They were met by a crowd of fans with red flares who were desperate to celebrate the club's 28th league title with them. The players and coaching staff appeared on one of the balconies at the complex to join in the fans' chants. 'We have to get down to the mud (get in with the fans),' said their outstanding young centre-back Pau Cubarsi, a graduate from La Masia who is a key part of the first team at the age of 18. Advertisement The cars began to leave with the players one by one. The first to go was Alejandro Balde. On his way out of the training complex, the young full-back stopped his convertible car and stood up, topless, to salute the crowd. The midfielder Marc Casado, like so many of this Barcelona squad another graduate from their academy, kept looking at his mobile phone. On the Twitch streaming account Jijantes, Casado asked how many people were at Canaletes, the fountain in the city centre where tourists often gather and the spot where Barcelona fans celebrate titles. A few minutes later, the 21-year-old appeared alone at Canaletes, where he was cheered on by the 7,000 fans who had gathered after midnight to party. He was escorted by two fans who covered his face and made sure he was not mobbed by the adoring fans. Casado was living his best life. In another part of Barcelona, near the Hospital de Barcelona on Avenida Diagonal, four footballers had taken the Bicing — the public bike service in the city — to go to visit a friend in hospital before going out to celebrate. Dani Olmo, Pedri, Eric Garcia and Inigo Martinez wanted to see their team-mate Ferran Torres, who had surgery on Wednesday for appendicitis. A post shared by Dani Olmo (@daniolmo) 'Look how beautiful the moon is,' Pedri said in one of the videos shared by the players on social media. The moon was full and they looked like four children straight out of 'The Goonies' on their bikes, oblivious to the fact they were the idols of the Barcelona fanbase in that moment. The partying on Thursday (or the early hours of Friday) ended at two well-known nightclubs in the city: Luz de Gas, where the Barcelona board went to mark the triumph, and Twenties, where the staff and players went. Luz de Gas has become famous for being the favourite venue of the Barcelona president Laporta and it was there that he celebrated Pep Guardiola's treble in 2009. The night was long, but a few hours later on Friday, it was time for the victory parade through the city. It started at the Camp Nou, which is being renovated for the 2025-26 season, and ended at the Arc de Triomf in the city centre. At the Camp Nou, as the open-top bus passed by, the workers came over to greet the players from their positions. Without stopping work on what will be the new home of this team, they waved to the players from behind their protective helmets. There were 670,000 people in the streets to catch a glimpse of their heroes and to paint the city blue and red. It has been a tough couple of years, but now it was time to celebrate. Advertisement The street party summed up everything this season has been about. Flick was busy looking after his players like a father, just as he has done all season. When Fermin Lopez was singing at the top of his voice on the safety bar of the bus, Flick was holding him from behind to prevent him from falling. When the fans threw shirts up for the players to sign, Flick was organising things and making sure the shirts went back to their correct owners and that another supporter didn't grab them. A post shared by FC Barcelona (@fcbarcelona) The coach looked like a school bus. At the front were the more responsible players. At the back, guarding the trophies, the cool kids — Lamine Yamal, Alejandro Balde, Gavi. Although in the end, rather fittingly, it was two defenders who ended up looking after the silverware: Inigo Martinez (the MVP of the celebrations) and Eric Garcia. Raphinha was wearing a Barcelona hat with spikes on it, accompanied by Jules Kounde. Two of last season's stragglers have become heroes this year and are among the most beloved players of this double-winning campaign. It was Kounde who scored the decisive goal in the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid last month. The most acclaimed during the parade were Pedri, Cubarsi, Raphinha, Yamal and Flick. All five have had a massive impact on the club in this memorable season. It's easy to forget that two of them (Yamal and Cubarsi) are still teenagers. On the bus, Cubarsi was drinking a can of Fanta. The 'Szczesny smoker' chant was sung again and again, led by the players with a microphone and repeated back to them by the fans. The Polish goalkeeper has embraced the chant as his own, wearing a hat that says 'Smoker'. He also played with a fan, throwing sweets into his mouth from the bus. As the celebrations played out, you could see the character of each player and how close the group are, like a family. Hanging out of the league trophy at the back of the bus was a shark soft toy, an attempt to include Torres in the celebrations given his 'shark' nickname. Advertisement There was collective hysteria over the achievements of this brilliant young team, built around stars from the club's academy, which makes it far easier for supporters to identify with them. 'If we weren't on this coach, we'd be down in the front row going wild,' Marc Bernal and Gerard Martin told club media during the parade. The players were struck by the atmosphere generated by the fans and the amount of joy they were bringing them by succeeding on the pitch. The 'Baby Barca' tag is catching on. With so many of these players, the fans feel that they have one of their own defending the famous shirt. You could see it with Casado going alone to Canaletes, with Cubarsi wanting to go down with the fans, wanting to be 'in the mud'. This Barcelona is the result of La Masia. And with the quality of youth that Flick has at his disposal, they seem destined to mark a new era at the club.
Times
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Times
Barcelona car crash: fans injured before La Liga title win
Barcelona's title triumph on Thursday night was marred by an incident outside the stadium in which at least 13 people were injured when a car crashed into a crowd of supporters. The incident took place just before kick-off in the the city's derby match attended by 34,283 people at Espanyol's RCDE Stadium, which Barcelona won 2-0 to seal their 28th La Liga title. Messages over the venue's public address system stressed to supporters inside the stadium that only minor injuries had been sustained. The game was paused for several minutes while the referee was briefed by police. Video footage appeared to show a stationary car blocked and surrounded by fans, some of whom threw objects at it. The vehicle then accelerated towards the crowd, hitting
CBC
16-05-2025
- Sport
- CBC
Car plows into crowd outside Espanyol vs. Barcelona, injuring 13 people; police call it an accident
Spanish officials said that 13 people were hurt when a driver lost control and plowed into a crowd gathered outside a professional soccer match in Barcelona on Thursday. Catalonia police said it was an accident. The incident occurred in the opening minutes of Barcelona's game at crosstown rival Espanyol, which concluded with the visitors clinching the Spanish league title. Emergency services said seven people were taken to nearby hospitals for the treatment of minor injuries, while the remainder were treated on site. Salvador Illa, the regional president for Spain's Catalonia region, said that all the injuries were "minor" and also ruled out any deliberate attack. The police said in a message on X that the incident presented no danger to the people inside the RCDE stadium.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- The Sun
Horrifying moment car ploughs into huge crowd of fans near stadium ahead of Espanyol vs Barcelona derby clash
THIS is the terrifying moment a car ploughs into huge crowds of Espanyol-Barcelona fans ahead of the derby clash. The horror incident unfolded near the RCDE Stadium before the game began. 3 3 3 Unbelievable footage shows the white vehicle facing the crowds as drinks are being thrown at it. The car then picks up speed and ploughs into fans, with some seen hanging onto the windscreen. Armed police are seen chasing after the vehicle as it disappears into the sea of people. The vehicle ploughed into a group of Espanyol fans who were waiting for the bus to arrive at the stadium an hour and a half before kick-off. Several fans were injured and required urgent treatment, with ambulances dispatched to the horror scene. Witnesses have spoken of the shocking ordeal, saying how there was a lot of confusion in the first few minutes after the incident. According to local reports, the Catalan police have initially said a female driver lost control of her car. There have been thirteen minor injuries, according to cops and Espanyol, Mundo Deportivo reports. The Catalan police have also insisted that the plough was accidental, the news site added. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
CNET
15-05-2025
- Sport
- CNET
La Liga Soccer Livestream: How to Watch Espanyol vs. Barcelona From Anywhere
It's a Catalan derby with added significance at the RCDE Stadium today. With a win over host Espanyol, Barcelona can clinch Spain's La Liga title, to add to the Copa del Rey for a domestic double. Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the game as it happens, wherever you are in the world, and how to use a VPN if the match isn't available there. Last weekend's wildly entertaining El Clasico victory means the championship is Barcelona's to lose coming into this match. Hansi Flick's men are 4 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid following Los Blancos' narrow 2-1 win over Mallorca yesterday. Aiming to spoil Barça's party today is near neighbor Espanyol. Set to finish in midtable following a solid season back in the Spanish top flight, results have nevertheless dipped in recent weeks for Manolo Gonzalez's team, with a 3-2 defeat to Leganes last weekend a third successive loss. Espanyol take on Barcelona at the Estadi Cornellà-El Prat on Thursday, May 15. Kickoff is set for 9:30 p.m. CET local time, making it a 3:30 p.m. ET or 12:30 p.m. PT start in the US, an 8:30 p.m. BST start in the UK and a 5:30 a.m. AEST kickoff in Australia on Friday morning. Brazilian star Raphinha, enjoying the best season of his career, scored twice in Barcelona's crucial 4-3 El Clasico victory over Real Madrid last Sunday. Gongora/NurPhoto/Getty Images How to watch Espanyol vs. Barcelona in the US without cable This match is available to stream in the US via ESPN Plus, which has live English- and Spanish-language broadcast rights for La Liga in the US. How to watch La Liga from anywhere with a VPN If you're traveling abroad and want to keep up with all the Spanish soccer action while away from home, a VPN can help enhance your privacy and security when streaming. It encrypts your traffic and prevents your internet service provider from throttling your speeds, and can also be helpful when connecting to public Wi-Fi networks while traveling, adding an extra layer of protection for your devices and logins. VPNs are legal in many countries, including the US and Canada, and can be used for legitimate purposes such as improving online privacy and security. However, some streaming services may have policies restricting VPN usage to access region-specific content. If you're considering a VPN for streaming, check the platform's terms of service to ensure compliance. If you choose to use a VPN, follow the provider's installation instructions, ensuring you're connected securely and in compliance with applicable laws and service agreements. Some streaming platforms may block access when a VPN is detected, so verifying if your streaming subscription allows VPN usage is crucial. James Martin/CNET ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year) Latest Tests No DNS leaks detected, 18% speed loss in 2025 tests Network 3,000 plus servers in 105 countries Jurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN is our current best VPN pick for people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month. Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. 61% off with 2yr plan (+4 free months) See at ExpressVPN Livestream Espanyol vs. Barcelona in the UK for Free The great news for footy fans in the UK is that free-to-air broadcaster ITV will be airing this evening's big match live. Coverage begins on ITV4 at 8 p.m. BST ahead of the 8:30 p.m. BST kickoff. That also means you'll be able to stream the game online via the network's online ITVX service. ITV ITV Watch La Liga fooball in the UK for free As the match is being broadcast on ITV4, that means you'll also have the option of watching the game online for free via the network's on-demand streaming service, ITVX (formerly ITV Hub). The service has an updated app that's available for Android and Apple mobile devices, as well as many smart TVs. See at Itv La Liga broadcast rights in the UK are also with Premier Sports, which will be showing a minimum of five live matches per week from Spain's top league on its Premier Sports 1 and 2 channels, as well as its dedicated La Liga platform. This match will be shown on Premier Sports 1 and La LigaTV. Premier Sports Premier Sports Watch La Liga in the UK from £8 A subscription to just Premier Sports' dedicated La Liga channel costs £8 a month. You can also get the channel via a full subscription to Premier Sports, giving you access to all of the network's channels, which have the UK broadcast rights to Scottish Premiership matches, BKT United Rugby Championship and Investec Champions Cup rugby, plus NHL and Nascar. A full Premier Sports subscription costs £10 per month for Sky and Virgin TV customers. You can also get Premier Sports through Amazon Prime Video as an add-on for £15 a month. See at Premier Sports Livestream Espanyol vs. Barcelona in Canada TSN is the rights holder for live coverage of La Liga matches in the region, with select fixtures being shown on its linear channels and a wider selection of games being shown on its TSN Plus streaming platform. This match is set to be shown on TSN Plus. TSN TSN Plus Carries La Liga matches live TSN Plus is a direct-streaming service that costs CA$8 a month and also offers coverage of PGA Tour Live golf, NFL games, F1, Nascar and the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments. See at TSN Livestream Espanyol vs. Barcelona in Australia Footy fans down under can watch La Liga matches live on BeIn Sports, which holds the live broadcast rights in Australia for Spanish top-flight matches. This match is set to be shown on BeIn Sports 2. Quick tips for streaming La Liga using a VPN
