Sergio Perez/Reuters
One of the world’s most-watched soccer matches was played amid heavy security Wednesday night as the Spanish authorities sought to keep Catalonia’s separatist movement from disrupting the game between host Barcelona and Real Madrid.
While the game in Barcelona’s Camp Nou stadium began without incident, some riot police clashed with protesters in the streets outside, and plastic trash cans were set on fire.
The match, which drew nearly 100,000 spectators and ended in a 0-0 tie, was halted briefly when a few dozen balls were thrown onto the field, some of them bearing a message urging the Spanish government to open a dialogue with the separatists.