Severe Weather Strands Barcelona in Seville

Severe weather conditions prevented FC Barcelona from departing Seville, forcing the team to spend the night at a local hotel following their commanding 5-2 victory over Real Betis in round nine of La Liga. The adverse climate led to multiple delays for the squad's chartered flight at San Pablo Airport before it was ultimately cancelled, according to Spanish newspaper Marca, even after players remained on board for nearly two hours awaiting takeoff clearance. The Catalan club officially announced the flight cancellation via its account on the X platform shortly before 2:00 AM local time, prompting the delegation to return to a hotel in the city until conditions permit travel. This disruption coincided with severe weather warnings issued by civil protection authorities, who alerted the public to heavy downpours and atmospheric turbulence that could dump up to 100 liters of rain per square meter across various regions. Barcelona now faces a pivotal week under German coach Hansi Flick, preparing to host French side Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday in the Champions League before welcoming arch-rivals Real Madrid on Sunday in El Clasico, having consolidated their league lead with nine straight wins and 27 points.