A Barcelona supporter burst into flames on his way to Wednesday’s Champions League match against Club Brugge, forcing him to flee from his coach. The incident came to light hours before kick-off in Belgium.
Barça fans were heading to the Jan Breydel Stadium in coaches when smoke and fire were detected. The car was traveling on a highway near the city of Bruges when it stopped.
Video footage showed passengers waiting on the side of the road in distress as the fire destroyed the rear of the coach, the Mirror reported. Plumes of black smoke filled the air, and fans watched as the transport burst into flames into the evening sky.
Many supporters remained positive, and some could be heard singing in the background of the footage. Others were seen using cell phones and demonstrating what had happened to friends and family.
Reports said no one was injured. The match will start at 8pm UK time.
Barcelona come into this game after a patchy season in the Champions League so far. Hansi Flick’s side, who came close to reaching the final last season, started the season with a 2-0 win away at Newcastle.
In the following game, they lost at home to Paris Saint-Germain. Barcelona bounced back by defeating Olympiakos 6-1 in their last match, taking them to six points after three games.
For Bruges, they suffered a 4-0 defeat to Bayern Munich in their most recent Champions League match. In the away match against Atalanta, they lost 1-2.
However, the Belgian side have one win since defeating Monaco 4-1 in September. Brugge also easily dispatched Scottish powerhouse Rangers in the play-off round, securing a place in Europe’s premier tournament.
Barcelona are preparing for a tough test against Brugge. “Every game in this Champions League is important,” Robert Lewandowski, who started on the bench, said at Tuesday’s pre-match press conference.
“Every point is money, so in our minds the only question is how to win. Brugge are very strong at home so we have to play 100 percent to get the three points. That is our main goal.”
Of Nicky Hayen’s side, Flick added: “They’re a good team, especially at home. They press well, love the ball and move quickly. It’s fun to watch them play.”
