Espanyol vs Barcelona stopped as referee delays game to speak to police
Updated 21:01 15 May 2025 GMT+1Published 20:51 15 May 2025 GMT+1
The match had to halted by referee Cesar Soto Grado.
The La Liga clash between Espanyol and Barcelona was briefly stopped after referee Cesar Soto Grado delayed proceedings to communicate with police.
In the eighth minute of the match, several Espanyol players were seen in communication with home spectators behind the goal, before they then gestured towards the Spanish official.
Grado then halted the match before speaking to members of both benches and the police. The game resumed two minutes later.
During the stoppage, a video was posted to social media which showed several fans being knocked down by a vehicle outside Espanyol's stadium.
It was later confirmed that the incident was the cause of the brief stoppage inside the RCDE Stadium.
Image: Twitter/@TheBlones10)
Image: Twitter/@TheBlones10)
It was subsequently reported that seven ambulances had to be deployed outside the stadium, while another video also shows that riot police were present.
ITV commentator Sam Matterface stated on-air that it is understood there were no serious injuries to spectators.
According to Marca, the cause of the attack has not yet been determined, with Spanish police currently working 'on the hypothesis' that the driver of the vehicle 'lost control and it was an accident'.
More to follow...
Featured Image Credit: ITV / Twitter
Topics: Barcelona, Espanyol, La Liga, Football