Madrid match goes ahead

Tonight's UEFA Champions League semi-final second leg between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona has gone ahead, despite two explosions in Madrid, one of them a car bomb close to the Santiago Bernabéu stadium where the match will be played.

Security meeting
Preparations for the match continued after the two explosions, and the decision to play the match was taken at a security meeting held just under two hours before the scheduled kick-off, following strong and clear recommendations from the police.

Nine slightly injured - police
A car bomb exploded in the vicinity of the stadium at approximately 1655 CET, and a second explosion followed on the other side of the city. A Madrid police spokesman said that nine people were slightly injured in the first blast, which destroyed several cars.

Advance warning
Police were given a warning half-an-hour before the first explosion and were able to seal off and evacuate the area effectively. 

Madrid ahead
Madrid went into the match leading 2-0 after the first leg in Barcelona last Tuesday, and a crowd of around 75,000 spectators was expected for tonight's game.