SAN SEBASTIAN, Spain (AP) — The Champions League match between Real Sociedad and Benfica was briefly interrupted early in the second half on Wednesday after Benfica fans threw flares toward Sociedad supporters.
Benfica fans at the top of the Reale Arena threw flares downwards, some hitting the Sociedad fans and others entering the field. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
English referee Anthony Taylor spoke to the in-form delegate and messages were then broadcast over the stadium’s loudspeakers asking Benfica fans to avoid throwing flares. The attack only prevented him for a few seconds.
More flares were later launched and some Benfica players were seen asking fans to avoid launching them.
“Things like this shouldn’t happen,” Sociedad striker Mikel Oyarzabal said. “We can’t settle for that. I hope nothing happened to any of our fans.
The referee also momentarily stopped the action towards the end of the match due to an unrelated factor with a Society fan in the stands.
Society won 3-1 and advanced to the round of 16 for the second time in its history. Benfica were eliminated after their fourth defeat in 4 matches in Group D.
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