13 hurt after car plows into crowd outside Spain stadium

International

THIRTEEN people were injured on Thursday when a car drove into a crowd of fans gathered outside the Reial Club Deportiu Espanyol de Barcelona) ahead of a heated La Liga match between FC Barcelona and Espanyol.

Catalan police described the crash as an “accidental collision,” telling CNN that the situation was under control and posed no risk to spectators inside the stadium.

“The situation is under control and in no case poses a risk to the people inside the sports facility,” the police said in a statement posted on social media.

Emergency services responded quickly, treating 13 injured individuals at the scene. Nine suffered minor injuries, while the other four were described to be in “less than serious” condition, according to a post on X by Catalonia’s emergency services.

“The injured people are being treated by emergency services and the driver of the vehicle has been arrested,” Catalan police added in a follow-up statement, confirming a large police presence in the area.

A video verified and geolocated by CNN appears to show a white car plowing through a group of people in a park area adjacent to the stadium.

Despite the chaos outside, the match proceeded as planned. FC Barcelona went on to win 2–0, securing the La Liga title for the 2024–25 season. The derby included a red card for Espanyol defender Leandro Cabrera following a late-game foul on Barcelona’s 17-year-old standout, Lamine Yamal.

The rivalry between FC Barcelona and Espanyol is among Spain’s most historic, rooted in deep cultural and political divides in Catalonia.

Police continue to investigate the cause of the crash but have reiterated that there is no indication of intentional harm.(Missy Garcia, CTU-TC Intern)