Tag: BARCELONA

Aubameyang Assaulted in Armed Robbery at His Home in Barcelona

Armed robbers broke into the home of Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang early on Monday morning, police said, and physically assaulted the player and his wife as they forced them to open a safe to steal jewelry, according to media reports. Spanish newspaper El Pais said both the player and his wife Alysha Behague suffered minor…


Train Driver Dies and Dozens Injured in Crash Near Barcelona

SANT BOI DE LLOBREGAT, Spain—The driver of a suburban passenger train died and dozens were lightly injured after two trains crashed outside Barcelona on Monday evening, Catalan regional authorities said. Some 85 people were injured according to regional emergency services, who said 77 were released on the spot and eight were taken to hospital. The…


Hotel Fire in Barcelona Injures 9; Some Must Jump to Safety

BARCELONA, Spain—A fire in a Barcelona hotel on Saturday forced at least one person to leap to safety out of a third-floor window. Spanish emergency services said the fire injured nine people, including one in critical condition. Catalan television showed footage apparently shot on a mobile phone of one person jumping from a third-floor window…


Fire in Barcelona Kills Family of 4, Including 2 Children

MADRID—A fire in part of a building occupied by squatters in central Barcelona killed four members of the same family, including two children ages 1 and 3, on Tuesday morning, a local government spokeswoman said. Firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze after rescuing four more people, who are being treated for smoke inhalation, the Barcelona…


Finding Barcelona: Catalonian Wonders and the Best of the Med

Long-known as the “jewel of the Mediterranean,” Barcelona seems to rise from the sea, the cool of the water merging with the heat of the city, emerging from the blue. From the white sands of a bustling urban beach to the heights of Gaudi’s unfinished masterpiece, it’s a crossroads of culture—Catalonian and Spanish, France just…


Cyberattack Turns Off the Taps at Barcelona’s Damm Brewery

MADRID—Spain’s second biggest beer maker Damm halted output at its main brewery outside Barcelona after a cyberattack hit its computer systems earlier this week, a spokesperson said on Friday. The attack hit the brewery on Tuesday night and for a few hours the plant in El Prat de Llobregat, which produces 7 million hectolitres (5.9…


Xavi Hernández to Return to Barcelona as Its New Coach

BARCELONA, Spain—Xavi Hernández, the player who personified the attacking style made popular by Barcelona and Spain’s national team, is returning to Camp Nou as the new coach of his struggling boyhood club. Barcelona announced in the early hours of Saturday that Xavi has agreed to a contract through 2024 after the former Spain midfielder was…


Messi Breaks Down, Says He Wasn’t Ready to Leave Barcelona

MADRID, Spain—Lionel Messi began crying before he even started speaking. The “most difficult” moment of his career had arrived and he wasn’t ready for it. It was time to say goodbye to Barcelona after more than two decades with the Catalan club. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to speak,” he said while trying…


Barca Says Even Cut-Price Messi Too Expensive to Keep

BARCELONA—Barcelona was forced to let star player Lionel Messi leave the club because his high wages coupled with strict La Liga financial rules could have jeopardized its future, President Joan Laporta said on Friday. Both the club, which has suffered steep losses recently, and 34-year-old Messi had wanted to sign a new contract. But the…


Messi to Leave Barcelona Due to ‘Financial Obstacles’: Club Statement

MADRID—Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi will leave Barcelona despite both parties having reached an agreement over a new contract, the La Liga club said on Thursday, citing economic and structural obstacles to the renewal of the deal. Messi, who joined Barca’s youth set-up aged 13, is the club’s all-time top scorer and appearance maker…