Espanyol vs Barcelona Derby Thrown Into Chaos by Sudden Car Crash
If you thought tension couldn’t run higher at the Espanyol vs Barcelona derby, think again. Just as the city was gearing up for one of Spain's most electric football clashes, disaster struck the streets outside Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium. A car barreled into a gathering of fans, sending shockwaves through the entire matchday atmosphere and disrupting what should have been an all-out football celebration.
The incident happened before kickoff on the night of May 15–16, 2025. The Espanyol faithful, mingled with Barcelona supporters, filled the area around the stadium gates, buzzing with excitement and rivalry chants. Suddenly, chaos replaced anticipation when a vehicle plowed into the crowd. Medics and emergency staff rushed to the scene, and within hours, Catalonia’s health department reported 17 injuries on the books.
Of those injured, four were rushed to the hospital and one ended up in intensive care, fighting for their life. Authorities moved quickly to calm nerves. Early police investigations pointed to a tragic accident—a moment of lost control behind the wheel—rather than any deliberate attempt to harm supporters. These first findings brought a measure of relief, though it did little to ease the anguish among witnesses and families of the hurt.
Confusion, Communication Breakdown, and a Jittery Return to Play
As word filtered through to the packed stadium, confusion reigned. Around the eighth minute of the match, play paused. Stadium authorities scrambled to coordinate with police and emergency crews, trying to establish exactly what had just happened outside their walls. For a few uneasy minutes, the entire event hung in the balance, with players and coaches trading worried looks on the pitch.
The public address system initially downplayed the situation, assuring fans that there were “no serious injuries.” That message didn’t last long. News from outside quickly contradicted these reassurances, and a ripple of alarm spread through the stands. Some fans were so shaken by the reports that they left their seats in protest, unable to enjoy the game amid the aftermath.
Salvador Illa, the president of Catalonia, tried to steady the mood. On Spanish news channels, he described most of the injuries as minor and insisted there was no active threat lingering over those inside the venue. Security in and around RCDE Stadium remained tight, with police reinforcing a presence they had already ramped up for derby day. Still, the sense of anxiety never fully left.
The match ultimately restarted, a difficult decision given the circumstances. As the Barcelona squad pushed to clinch the La Liga title, neither team could ignore the weight of drama playing out just steps away from the action. The players’ focus was tested as rarely before, with local media buzzing about how off-field events had collided, quite literally, with the sporting event of the week.
Street accidents aren’t new around major football fixtures, but injuries on this scale—17, with one critical—are rare in Spanish league history. For Espanyol, Barcelona, and their fans, the night meant more than goals and rivalries. The road to the final whistle was marked by sirens, uncertainty, and an uneasy reminder that even the biggest games can’t shield us from real-world hazards waiting just outside the gates.
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