A black crepe on the scoreboards with a blaugrana background and a gray sky that threatened a storm greeted the 48,843 fans who came to watch the Barcelona derby. It was the second highest entry of the season. And the maximum recorded in a League match this year in Montjuïc. Still, there was hardly any revelry. The atmosphere dropped a few decibels. Before and during the game. Unprecedented situation in a Barça-Espanyol and vice versa. The DANA that devastated part of the Valencian Community was very present. In the stands. In the press gallery. It was inevitable to think that it wasn’t time to be there.
He was reminded by the LaLiga messages that appeared every two minutes on the advertising panels surrounding the green. Remembering that the employers’ association, together with the Red Cross, has activated a line to raise funds for Bizum at number 02910. Conversations could be heard among the fans. There were those who considered that this derby should not have been played. “But since we already had the tickets…” some fans pointed out. Yes, there were notable absences in the box. This time, neither the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, nor Salvador Illa, president of the Generalitat, went to the field. When the storm strikes, there are more important tasks than going to watch football.
The help lines that LaLiga has established with the Red Cross were shown on the stadium scoreboards
Outside of Montjuïc, the solidarity of the Curva, Espanyol’s entertainment group, exceeded their expectations. What started with the idea of renting a van with supplies to help the victims ended with four trailers with help for those affected. Overwhelmed by the wave of solidarity, La Curva had to warn people to stop coming to gate nine of the Cornellà stadium with supplies. Non-perishable food, water, milk and essential health products. Today the four trailers will leave for Valencia.
Today, four trailers with help organized by Espanyol fans will leave for Valencia
On behalf of FC Barcelona, its foundation is working to support the affected population. To begin with, the club announced that it will auction the shirts of the players who played in the derby to raise funds. “A list with several help lines has also been provided,” announcer Bernat Gascón said before the match while the stadium scoreboards offered all the information. To avoid collapsing the emergency channels and wanting to channel the entire wave of Barcelona solidarity through its foundation, the club did not authorize the entertainment team to set up a collection point for supplies in the surrounding area of Montjuïc.
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There was a moment of silence before the ball began to roll, under the melody of the Number of ocells . Espanyol player Carlos Romero, a native of Torrent, was especially touched. The other Valencian Barça player is injured. But yesterday he didn’t have the strength to go to the stadium. This is Ferran Torres. “I don’t have the strength to go see my colleagues. Frustration and indignation with our rulers, be they one or the other. The State is failed,” denounced the man from Foios on his social networks.
Unlike what happened in stadiums like Montilivi, Metropolitano or El Sadar, there were no support shirts. Afterwards Olmo and Puado did want to remind them with a message: “We should not have played.”
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