Two PSG Fans Stabbed After Barcelona Champions League Match
Two Paris Saint-Germain supporters were hospitalised after being stabbed following Barcelona's 3-1 Champions League victory over the French side on Wednesday.
Catalan police have confirmed an investigation into the incidents which happened outside the Camp Nou, as translated by Reuters (via The Guardian):
"The first incident occurred around 11 at night in the vicinity of Camp Nou. A French citizen who left the game was approached on Felipe de Paz street by two individuals, in dark clothes and balaclavas, and was stabbed.
[...] A little later on and near to the site of the first (incident), there was another similar incident on L’Avinguda Madrid de Barcelona. Three young people who had also come to watch the game were assaulted by several individuals.
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The original Mossos d'Esquadra statement was released on the police force's website. Although the stabbing victim of the second incident has been discharged, the first individual to be attacked "remains" in hospital, per The Guardian. Police are actively working to detain those responsible.
This incident arrives just days after a Deportivo La Coruna fan was killed after clashes outside Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon, reported by The Guardian. Although Wednesday night's stabbings are yet to be linked to football, they come at a time when Spanish authorities are upping measures to eliminate disturbance from the nation's game.
The LFP is reportedly set to charge Barcelona and Real Madrid after their fans were heard singing offensive chants during their last La Liga matches, per Juan Jimenez of AS. Los Blancos have already issued stadium bans to 17 supporters for such offences, noted by Marca, as "economic sanctions" will now be delivered as punishment.
News of the stabbings overshadows a thrilling Champions League tie in Barcelona. Both teams had already qualified heading into the final group stage tie, but set out to clinch top spot with a victory.
Barca fell behind to a clinical Zlatan Ibrahimovic strike before upping the ante with goals from Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez. Plenty of chances were missed—with PSG missing simple opportunities when trailing by one—but it was Barca who topped the group by two points at the end of play.
Both Barca and PSG have confirmed a place in Monday's last-16 draw, but the French side will now have to deal with the difficulty of facing a group winner. Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and Chelsea are among the teams PSG will want to avoid, with Barca likely to enjoy a slightly easier pairing.
Further information on the aforementioned stabbings can be expected soon.
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