Barcelona (EFE) league against Barcelona.
The blue and white entity, through a statement, expressed its “total disagreement” with the decision of this body. The institution considered that there is an “exemplary” factor in this sanction that only responds to “biased value judgments” and that, in its opinion, “lacks foundation.”
Espanyol advanced in its statement that it will exhaust “all avenues of appeal” and that it will go to “all possible instances” to avoid a punishment that it considered unfair. If they are unsuccessful, the first two games of the season, against Racing Santander and Amorebieta, will be played behind closed doors.
On the other hand, the Catalan club stressed that in the match against Barça it had “all the necessary means and measures” in its stadium to guarantee security in a match of this caliber.
Espanyol recalled that “the security forces themselves” validated the means and resources that the entity allocated for the derby.
In it, the Barça team won the game 2-4 and was proclaimed champion of LaLiga. The invasion of the field forced the Barça players to go directly to the changing room tunnel.
Finally, the blue and white club insisted on its direct rejection of “any violent act or behavior” that damages the image of both the club and its fans. The institution added that episodes like those that occurred in the derby “have no place in football or in society.”