Espanyol fans consider Garcia’s transfer an unforgivable betrayal.
The highly anticipated Catalan derby in the Spanish League has turned into a “minefield,” as Espanyol prepares to host Barcelona amidst a tense atmosphere, reaching the point of threatening to use “rats” as a weapon against goalkeeper “Joan Garcia.”
The British newspaper “The Athletic” reported that Espanyol has taken strict security measures to protect Barcelona’s goalkeeper “Joan Garcia” from the fans’ anger, with protective nets installed behind both goals to prevent anything from being thrown at him.
This measure comes after local media reports revealed discussions among groups of Espanyol fans to pelt the goalkeeper with “rats” as an expression of their dissatisfaction. In fact, a shop owner in a Barcelona market confirmed that fans had already inquired about how to obtain rats a month before the match.
The reason for this animosity dates back to last summer when the 24-year-old goalkeeper left the club where he had grown up since the age of 15 and joined rivals Barcelona after paying the release clause of 25 million euros.
While Barcelona sees “Garcia” as the goalkeeper of the future and has not regretted signing him after his outstanding performance this season, Espanyol fans feel a great sense of betrayal due to this transfer.
To ensure that the situation does not escalate, Espanyol has completely banned Barcelona fans from entering the match and warned that anyone wearing a shirt, scarf, or carrying a flag of the rival team will be prohibited from entering any part of the stadium.
The list of prohibited items also included motorcycle helmets, bags, and anything that could be used as a projectile.
