Fan abuse overshadows Barcelona title – players forced to flee
Escape to the dressing room: Barcelona’s players have to leave the pitch quickly after the 4-2 draw at city rivals Espanyol
Quelle: Getty Images
FC Barcelona starts its championship party on the lawn of city rival Espanyol – which some fans of the hosts don’t find funny at all. They storm the square, the police have to intervene with batons.
DFC Barcelona’s dances of joy lasted only a few seconds on the pitch. The new Spanish champions had just gathered for a first celebration at city rivals Espanyol’s center circle on Sunday night when angry fans of the hosts stormed the pitch. Then Robert Lewandowski and Co. fled quickly into the catacombs.
The police used batons against some violent supporters, and some fans threw signs. To protect the professionals, the security forces barricaded the way to the cabin. After a few minutes, the situation calmed down.
“The celebration is normal, but I understand that we’re not in our stadium and we can’t be disrespectful,” Barça coach Xavi said after the derby win. “I know it’s difficult to control. But I told the players that they had better get in there quickly.” According to the coach, the party continued there after the 4-2 win.
14 points ahead of archrival
For Barça it is the 27th championship title and the first since 2019. The long-time Bundesliga professional Lewandowski (11th minute/40th) and the full-backs Alejandro Balde (20th) and Jules Koundé (53rd) scored the goals for the new champion. Javi Puado (73′) and Joselu (90’+2) scored for Espanyol. Four games before the end of the season, Xavi’s side are 14 points ahead of pursuers Real Madrid and can no longer be ousted from first place.
Happy in Barcelona: ex-Bayern star Robert Lewandowski
What: AFP
For Lewandowski, who switched from FC Bayern to Catalonia in the summer of 2022 for around 45 million euros, it was the 20th and 21st league goals. In total, he scored 31 goals for FC this season.
“It feels very good because we’ve worked very hard for it,” said President Joan Laporta. “Xavi was crucial. He not only knows football, but also the club and the style. He played a crucial role and deserves congratulations. We have a great coach.”
FC Barcelona now wants to celebrate the championship titles of the men’s and women’s teams – instead of in the stadium of their city rivals – on Monday evening with a bus parade through Barcelona together with thousands of fans. The team, with German national goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, will travel from 6 p.m. in an open-topped bus from the Camp Nou stadium to the Arc de Triomf, the club announced on its website.
Praise for Ter Stegen
The women’s team from FC Barcelona, who had already secured the championship title in April, will also be there. Various music groups are to perform along the approximately eight-kilometer route through Barcelona. The last time there was such a street party for a championship title was in 2018.
The German goalkeeper also received praise: Ter Stegen, who stood like “a wall” throughout the season, was also decisive for the success of the Catalans, the newspaper “El País” wrote on Monday. In the previous 34 league games, Barça have only conceded 13 goals with the national goalkeeper in the case.