Barcelona completed a domestic treble on Thursday night after Lamine Yamal's wonderful strike was the difference in the Catalan Derby as Hansi Flick's side claimed the La Liga title. The 28-time winners of the Spanish top-flight needed just three points from their remaining three games after a dramatic 4-3 win over Real Madrid in the El Clasico on Sunday.
The 1-0 win over local rivals Espanyol, who are languishing in 16th and still not mathematically safe from relegation, would ordinarily be a good excuse to celebrate, but teenage sensation, Yamal, was spotted heading straight for the tunnel after embracing his manager. Watch the incident below:
Moments later, as the rest of the team celebrated on the pitch - even as Espanyol turned on the sprinklers in an apparent attempt to disrupt their joy - Flick was visibly angry, quickly ordering his players off the field and leading them toward the tunnel.
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At full-time, Barcelona’s players started to celebrate, but tensions quickly flared as heated confrontations broke out with Espanyol players, who had shown signs of frustration throughout the night. Flick swiftly stepped in to de-escalate the situation before it could spiral further.
In the end, it seemed only Yamal had followed his instructions, sensing the best option was to make a quick escape due to the unsavoury history between the two clubs. In his post-match interview, Flick emphasised the importance of showing respect after the final whistle, despite the glorious circumstances. He said, as per the Daily Mail:
"I don’t think it’s a good idea to talk or think about celebrations before the game. You have to focus on the game. I saw what happened two years ago on television. Whatever needs to be done, always with respect. You have to fight for the three points, and then we’ll do what’s right."
Flick's words came after ugly scenes occurred two years ago when Barcelona last won the title - also at Espanyol's stadium - and their players were chased into the tunnel by home supporters. "I know what the situation is with respect to what happened two years ago, and I wanted to celebrate it inside," he added.
Tensions surrounding the Catalan Derby were evident well before the final whistle, as a disturbing incident unfolded outside the stadium when a car crashed into a crowd of fans, which prompted the match to briefly halt as the referee informed security of the situation. Reports from Spain stated that 15 people were injured in the frightening event, which remains under investigation.
According to local media, Catalan police do not believe the crash was intentional. Instead, they are working under the assumption that the driver - a woman, according to reports - lost control of the vehicle. She has since been arrested, as reported by Marca. Fortunately, the injuries are not believed to be serious. Seven ambulances responded to the scene, with several victims taken to hospital for treatment as Barca's title celebrations were marred on Thursday night.