Fiery welcome in Catalonia: Barcelona ultras attack Atlético's team bus
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert
The atmosphere ahead of the second-leg Copa del Rey semifinal between Barcelona and Atlético Madrid was already electric long before kickoff.
Details: According to Antonio Ruiz on Tiempo de Juego, as the visiting team’s bus approached Camp Nou, it was attacked by a group of radical Barcelona supporters. The ultras hurled various objects at Atlético’s bus, shattering one of its windows in the process.
The incident reportedly took place as the teams were arriving at the stadium. Despite the serious damage to the window, fortunately none of Diego Simeone’s players or coaching staff were injured. Police had to intervene to ensure the team’s safe passage into the stadium’s inner areas.
The welcomes for the two teams could not have been more different: Barcelona’s bus was greeted by a fire show and raucous chants from fans dreaming of a historic remontada, while Atlético’s arrival was met with outright hostility.
Reminder: Barcelona have set their sights on Groningen’s Stijn Resink.