The National Police, in a joint operation with the Mossos d’Esquadra, have arrested after three months 17 fans allegedly involved in the violent incidents at the playoff final between Espanyol and Real Oviedo held in Cornellá on the 23rd of June. Those arrested threw bottles, chairs and other objects at each other, in addition to physically attacking each other, in establishments near the RCDE Stadium after a meeting between both fans. They were arrested this Monday in different Catalan towns – 12 – and in the city of Oviedo – 5 – but there are 12 others under investigation. Those involved are charged with crimes of public disorder and rioting, and the operation is still open, so the police do not rule out arresting more individuals. In addition, LaLiga has appeared as an accusation in the judicial process.
The events date back to around three months ago, on Sunday, June 23 of this year, when RCD Espanyol and Real Oviedo faced each other at the Pericos’ home in the second leg of the playoff for promotion to the First Division. So, the Permanent Commission of the State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sports has already classified the meeting between both teams as “high risk.” This did not prevent fans from both clubs from meeting “by chance” – according to the police – in the streets of Cornellá, the municipality that hosted the match, around five in the afternoon.
Oviedo fans gathered prior to the match in the Plaza de la Sardana in the Catalan town to begin their journey to the RCDE Stadium. But on the Railway Walk they ran into rival fans, and that was when, according to the police, the confrontation took place. “All types of blunt objects and furniture such as bottles, chairs, glasses or cups were used,” the police forces say in a press release. Furthermore, the attacks spread and affected the area of the shopping center, where there were passers-by unrelated to the match celebration. Some participants in the confrontation were consequently injured, and furniture in the bars in the area of the fight was also damaged. A Real Oviedo fan stands out for its severity: a broken fibula and a gap in the head. Other individuals with injuries did not want to be treated by medical services so as not to be identified, the police said in their statement.
Violence is eliminated with actions, not just with words, although these advance more slowly than our desires. We will eliminate the violent people who take refuge in football, not only from the stadiums, but from anywhere. We continue to collaborate with the state security forces https://t.co/0xruRBXld2
— Javier Tebas Medrano (@Tebasjavier) October 8, 2024
During the morning of Tuesday, five of the detainees were brought to the Court of Instruction number One of Oviedo, decreeing as a precautionary measure the removal of the Nuevo Carlos Tartiere stadium from Oviedo during the days in which the team’s matches are held. The president of LaLiga, Javier Tebas, has said on social networks that they will “eliminate the violent” from football, “not only from the stadiums, but from anywhere.”