One dead, 45 arrested as fans celebrate Cup win

Madrid – A man fell into a river and drowned and police arrested 45 people for disturbances as Barcelona supporters celebrated the club’s victory in Spain’s King’s Cup.

The Catalan giants stayed on course for an historic treble by crushing Athletic Bilbao 4-1 on Wednesday to lift the Cup for the first time in over a decade.

The man of about 35 years of age died after falling into the River Onyar in the town of Girona, near Barcelona, during the victory celebrations, a police spokesman said.

Around 40,000 Barca supporters gathered in the city’s Plaza de Cataluya y Canaletes, where a group of about 300 began pelting police vehicles with bottles, cans and other objects, the spokesman said.

Police intervened when the rioters also threw objects at other supporters, detaining 45 people, five of them minors.

Medical services also treated 109 people, including 34 police officers, although none were seriously hurt.

The King’s Cup victory was coach Pep Guardiola’s first trophy as a manager and Barcelona’s first piece of silverware in two seasons.

The Spanish league title could soon follow with only a point needed at Real Mallorca on Sunday to secure a 19th championship.

The final part of the treble – which no Spanish team has ever achieved – is the Champions League final against Manchester United on May 27.

AFP / Expatica