Barcelona's LaLiga clash halted due to emergency; Keeper rushes with medical equipment

The LaLiga 2022-23 match between Barcelona and Cadiz was halted in the final minutes on Saturday after a fan suffered a heart attack in the stands. The game was paused in the 81st minute, with Barcelona leading the game by 2-0, and resumed after 30 minutes. The match was being played at the Estadio Nuevo Mirandilla stadium in Cadiz, Spain. 

Meanwhile, as the fan received medical attention, Cadiz goalkeeper Jeremias Ledesma was fetching the medical equipment and running toward the stands. As the events unfolded, players from both teams stood their ground patiently, understanding the seriousness of the situation. At the same time, Cadiz player Jose Maria was also seen helping a staff member to carry the stretcher through the stand. 

It is pertinent to mention that Barcelona player Ronald Araujo was also seen praying in the silence. As reported by The Associated Press, Barca players also lent their defibrillator to the medics, in case it was needed. The players were ordered to return to their locker room after a 10-minute pause and came back to the field in the final eight minutes, following a half-hour stoppage.

'Hope that he gets better': Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez

Speaking about the incident, Cadiz revealed that the fan was treated with a defibrillator by a medical team in the stands. He was then evacuated from the stadium on a stretcher and admitted to a local hospital. Speaking about the incident, Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez said, “We hope that he gets better as soon as possible”. In the meantime, Cadiz thanked the fans for their cooperation during the emergency.

Barcelona claims 4-0 win over Cadiz as Robert Lewandowski scores

As the match resumed, Barcelona claimed a 0-4 away win which took them to the top of the LaLiga 2022-23 points table on matchday 5. Frenkie de Jong opened the scoresheet with a 55th-minute strike for Barcelona before Robert Lewandowski scored his 6th LaLiga goal of the season in the 65th minute. Ansu Fati’s strike in the 86th minute awarded the third goal to Barca, while Ousmane Dembele scored the final goal at 90+2 minutes.

The win took Barcelona’s points tally in the season to 13 points after four wins and a draw in five games. The defending champions Real Madrid sit second in the table with four wins in four games, followed by Villareal with three wins and one draw. Real Madrid is scheduled to face Mallorca on matchday 5 on Sunday evening.