Barcelona and Real Madrid played out a goalless draw at Camp Nou on Wednesday, overshadowed by violent clashes between Catalan independence protesters and police outside the stadium.
Masked protesters set fire to bins and threw rocks and glass bottles at police, who responded with foam bullets. Barricades were built in the middle of a street near the ground, with demonstrators adding street signs to them. Forty-six people were lightly injured in the clashes, including eight who required hospital treatment, and five were arrested.
The demonstration was organised by Democratic Tsunami, a protest group promoting Catalan independence. Nearly 5,000 people surrounded the stadium four hours before kick-off, blocking traffic. It was the first violent incident in Catalonia since October, when Spain's top court jailed nine separatist leaders over their role in a failed 2017 independence bid.
Police closed the south exits of the stadium for security reasons, asking fans to leave through the north. Inside, thousands of fans held up blue banners bearing the words 'Spain, sit and talk', as well as slogans such as 'Freedom, rights, self-determination' and the Democratic Tsunami slogan.
The original fixture had been postponed due to earlier protests. Calm returned to the streets as fans left the stadium after the final whistle.
