Car Accident Outside Espanyol vs Barcelona Derby Leaves Several Fans Injured
Car Accident Jolts Espanyol-Barcelona Derby Build-Up
Just before a fierce Catalan derby, excitement outside Barcelona's RCDE Stadium turned into chaos. On May 15, 2025, while fans were eagerly gathering to cheer on the Espanyol team bus, a car unexpectedly plowed into the crowd, sending shockwaves through the supporters. It wasn’t long before sirens blared and medical teams rushed to help those caught up in the mess.
The air was thick with nerves as supporters readied themselves for a match that meant everything to both sides. Suddenly, that anticipation gave way to fear. People started yelling, some scrambling to help those pinned under the vehicle or pressed in the crowd. Within minutes, several ambulances lined up outside the stadium, and responders treated between 7 to 12 people for injuries. Talk about tension skyrocketing before kickoff.
Accident, Not Intent: What Authorities Discovered
You can imagine the wild rumors flying around, especially when such a crowd is fired up for a big match. Speculation about whether this was a deliberate act started almost immediately. But within hours, the tone shifted. Regional president Salvador Illa spoke plainly, reassuring everyone that all injuries were minor and clarifying there was no evidence of any foul play. Local police confirmed that the car’s driver lost control—this was a freak accident, not an attack.
Stadium officials echoed those statements, trying to calm the nerves ahead of the whistle. They reported that no one was critically hurt and the crowd was under control. But for fans stuck in that moment—some even trapped for a few tense seconds—the fear was real. Still, security protocols kicked in quickly, and the emergency teams handled business efficiently, a small comfort in the chaos.
With the all-clear given, the stadium atmosphere bounced back, albeit with a lingering sense of what could have been. The Espanyol supporters, rattled but determined, remained focused on their side’s desperate bid to avoid relegation. For Barcelona, it was about sealing the La Liga title in hostile territory. The match wasn’t delayed, underscoring the organizers’ confidence in security being restored.
This incident might have rattled the derby’s build-up, but in Barcelona’s vibrant football culture, it also showed how quickly a city can come together—supporters, emergency staff, and even rivals—when disaster nearly strikes. The Barcelona derby definitely saw a night to remember, just not for the reasons anyone expected when they showed up outside RCDE Stadium.