A tragic incident dampened the festive atmosphere ahead of the Catalan derby between RCD Espanyol and FC Barcelona, when a car ran into a group of fans near the RCDE Stadium. The accident happened around 3:00 p.m. ET (9:00 p.m. local time in Spain), just half an hour before kickoff for Matchday 36 of LaLiga.

According to initial reports, a woman driving a white Peugeot 308 lost control of the vehicle in an area where many Espanyol supporters were gathered, awaiting the arrival of the team bus. The car struck a young female fan of the home side, trapping her underneath. As bystanders rushed in to help, the vehicle suddenly accelerated again, hitting even more people.

Authorities rule out intentional act

Authorities reported that at least ten people were injured, though fortunately, all suffered only minor injuries. Seven ambulances were dispatched to the scene to assist the victims, while the Mossos d'Esquadra (Catalan police) launched an investigation to clarify what happened. At this stage, they are treating it as an accident, with no signs of intent or links to criminal activity.

Despite the chaos caused by the incident, the match kicked off on time at 3:30 p.m. ET, although the atmosphere was clearly affected. Over the stadium’s loudspeakers, officials urged fans to remain calm and assured them that the situation was under control.

The RCDE Stadium, which holds around 40,000 spectators, became the scene of a distressing event that nearly overshadowed a key fixture in Spanish football. Authorities continue their investigation to determine accountability and to reinforce fan safety at future events.