WorldSportHD LIVE: Real Madrid vs. Real Sociedad 12/12 @ 12:58 PM EST

[davekendra]

Did Paul just mention Satellite Guys forum... this forum?

 

[davekendra]

They are jumpy because of Basque bomb threats recently.

 

[Sean Mota]

Did Paul just mention Satellite Guys forum... this forum?

Yes. Hope everyone gets out safely.

 

[Ilya]

Did Paul just mention Satellite Guys forum... this forum?

Yes, he said he will let us all know if they are ok.
I really hope this is nothing serious!

 

[davekendra]

I'm checking other newswires online.

 

[Ilya]

Matt, Kim, if you are still in contact with Spain, please let us know.

 

[WorldSport_Kim]

Hi Everyone-
Yes, hopefully everything will be ok and it's nothing serious.
Everyone seemed to be evacuating safely.
Thank,
KIM

 

[davekendra]

Nothing on newswires yet, any further info besides "nothing serious"?

 

[Flambe]

Phew. Crazy! Hope to see you all here for the next game.

-F

PS - Anyone know what this means to the R. Madrid v R. Sociedad game? Officially 1-1? Or will it be replayed? It seems silly to think that they'd just play the final few minutes

 

[davekendra]

One of the European soccer websites I saw listed the game as suspended. Don't know how they will proceed if at all... any ideas anyone?

 

[Ilya]

Good question. I think it will be declared 1-1, but I am not positive.

 

[davekendra]

I have word that the bomb threat was a false alarm... source is:
http://www.realmadridfans.net/home.htm

 

[Ilya]

I have word that the bomb threat was a false alarm...

Thanks god!

 

[davekendra]

See you guys next week.

Play hard, make no apologies...

Davekendra

 

[Ilya]

From CNN.com:

MADRID, Spain (AP) -- A bomb threat forced the evacuation of Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the 88th minute of a Spanish league game between host Real Madrid and Real Sociedad on Sunday.

Referee Lizondo Cortes halted the game with the score 1-1 and pointed the teams toward the tunnel. The stadium's loudspeakers appealed for an orderly evacuation by fans, who appeared to follow instructions.

The stadium was evacuated at 8:45 p.m. local time (1945 GMT), 15 minutes before a bomb at the stadium was set to explode, according to a threat phoned to the Basque newspaper Gara.

Press reports indicated a backpack was found in the north stand of the Bernabeu, but that it had been left there by a fan who had departed in a hurry.

The Basque separatist group ETA has issued similar warnings to Gara before a series of small explosions in Spanish cities in recent days.

The Bernabeu was targeted by ETA on May 1, 2002, when Madrid was to play FC Barcelona in a Champions League semifinal. A car bomb exploded in a street outside the stadium and 17 people suffered minor injuries.

 

[Sean Mota]

From Paul:

Well thought you may have been waiting for this - the good news is that we all got out of the ground safely - in fact it was cleared in less than 5 imns - 70,000 people in the streets.

It turns out it was a false alarm, so there was NO bomb in the ground, although someone said one would go off at 9pm - so you can imagine why we left in haste.

Anyhow, the Spanish FA will meet to decide what happens with the 2 mins remaining, if they play them or not or leave it as a draw - Madrid want to play them and no surprise.....

Well we are all OK, but i think i am going to start asking for danger money from now on.

take care, because we will.

cheers PAUL

 

[Ilya]

Paul, Sid, glad to hear you are safe! With all those recent events in Spain, things like this should not be taken lightly. I am amazed that you guys stayed calm and finished your report even though we could clearly hear some mess in the background...
Take care!

Ilya.

 

[davekendra]

Paul, Sid, glad to hear you are safe! With all those recent events in Spain, things like this should not be taken lightly. I am amazed that you guys stayed calm and finished your report even though we could clearly hear some mess in the background...
Take care!

Ilya.

I think that extra "mess in the background" was totally understandable given the circumstances. ETA seems to be on the rampage again... thankfully, they have a consistent history of giving notice before their bombs go off (instead of the train bombs of last year by al-Qaeda).

Glad everyone's safe. Is there a chance that if the remaining 5 minutes ARE played that WorldSport will cover it? I'm okay if they don't... I imagine it wouldn't be too cost-effective.

Respectfully,

 

[Sean Mota]

From Paul

It was wierd, i think we all guessed what was happening when the players started running off the pitch, the producer started shouting in my ear "BOMB ALERT BOMB ALERT! GET OUT OF THERE!!!!" - which probably made me more nervous that anything and we all got out pretty damm quick.

I suppose we all thought ETA rather than Al Quaida, because Al Quaida don't give out warnings.... when i got home afterwards, it was wierd watching it all on TV,,,all of the players ran straight through the dressing rooms and were standing in their kit in the street outside the ground. Can you imagine seeing Beckham, Ronaldo etc in their kit like that.

The warning was from ETA, i think rather than just being a hoax, and aimed at causing confusion, which it did, but at least without causing anyone to get hurt.

What i find odd is that ETA would choose to do such a thing with Real Sociedad, who are from rhe Basque country, Madrid's rivals - If i was a Real Sociedad fan, i would be furious as it looked as if they were going to get a point.

It now looks as if they will play the remaining 3 minutes plus injury time behind closed doors on Jan 5th....

I expect things to be a bit quieter in Bruges this Thursday.

Anyhow, thanks to everyone for their concern, it certainly must have made for some pretty wierd live TV.
Cheers PAUL

 

[Sean Mota]

The remaining time 2 min + 4 min of injury time will be played 1/5/05 in Madrid. Don't know if WS will carry it.