Barcelona players dart down the tunnel as Espanyol fans chase them after title win
Barcelona players were forced to scarper to safety after Espanyol fans stormed onto the pitch during the La Liga title celebrations.
The Blaugrana won their 27th La Liga crown and their first since 2019 after a 4-2 win over their city rivals on their home patch.
Robert Lewandowski bagged a brace, while Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde were also on target before the hosts hit back with a pair of consolation strikes.
Barca players and staff erupted in celebration after a 27th win of the season and one that confirmed their status as champions after moving 14 points clear with four games remaining.
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But just as the group were celebrated and chanted "CAMPEONES" on the pitch at the RCDE Stadium, suddenly the squad started sprinting off the pitch and down the tunnel.
It then emerged that some Espanyol fans had managed to force their way onto the turf and were chasing their rivals. It's unknown if any Barca players or staff suffered any injuries but the scenes were wildly chaotic.
🚨 اقتحام مشجعبين اسبانيول وسط احتفال اللاعبين pic.twitter.com/Aa98VUiDr8
— KinG £ (@xKGx__) May 14, 2023
The ITV4 cameras picked up the moment Barca realised there were pitch invaders present and quickly abandoned their celebrations in order to take cover.
Spanish journalist Guillem Balague confirmed that those responsible were ultras who covered their faces and chanted "let's go get them".
Their access to the tunnel was blocked by police who arrived on the scene and after the fans started throwing things, guards proceeded to push forward.
No doubt the celebrations continued in the away dressing room. Barca did not lift the trophy at the hands of their rivals tonight and were not scheduled to do so.
Instead they will hoist it aloft at a sold-out Nou Camp next week when they host Real Sociedad in the penultimate home game of the campaign.
Captain Sergio Busquets will sign off by lifting the trophy as he finishes up a glittering career at Barca, while an open-top bus parade is pencilled in.
Josh Lawless