Espanyol requests investigation into statements made by Pique, Busquets

Warning: Story contains coarse language

RCD Espanyol is voicing its anger after a politically charged derby in which post-game comments overshadowed Philippe Coutinho's debut for Barcelona.

On Friday, Espanyol requested an investigation into statements made by Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets, as well as insulting chants from the Grada de Animacion - Barcelona's supporters stand - in the second leg of their tie in the Copa del Rey's quarter-finals. A document was remitted to the Comision Antiviolencia.

After Barcelona overturned a one-goal deficit with a 2-0 victory at the Camp Nou, Pique referred to Espanyol as "Espanyol de Cornella," poking fun at Los Periquitos for their geographic location. Cornella de Llobregat is located in the southwestern part of Barcelona's metropolitan area.

"It isn't that we suffered so much in this game, but Espanyol de Cornella always make it difficult for us," Pique said, according to Marca. "We started very well with the two goals and it is a result that pleases us." When asked by reporters about the reference, the Catalan centre-back answered: "Yes, of course, Espanyol de Cornella, they're from Cornella right?"

In relation to Pique's statements, Espanyol stated: "We consider that any demonstration in a clearly derogatory tone towards these cities, such as those pronounced by Mr. Pique Bernabeu towards the city of Cornella, flirt very dangerously with xenophobic attitudes and that, in any case, clearly generate violence and intolerance in our sport."

Meanwhile, Busquets said, per Marca: "For some it seemed that the tie was over at their place, but in the end we put things right. We were the better team in the tie, even more so than the scoreboard shows. Maybe in the second half of the first leg it was a bit more of a crazy match. They celebrated the first leg as if they'd gone through to the next round, but these knockout ties are 180 minutes long."

In relation to Busquets' statements, Espanyol declared: "We consider that the statements of Busquets Burgos are totally contrary to the values of respect in football and can be generators of violence and intolerance, incomprehensibly censoring after their qualification to the semi-finals that our team celebrated a triumph and the partial advantage against, no more no less, the football team with the highest salary on the planet."

Espanyol stated that numerous xenophobic chants and insults were uttered by supporters, including "I hate Espanyol," "Death to Espanyol," "Bastard Periquitos," "Pericos, you're of the Chinese," "Perico, remember, you're shit," and "Sons of bitches of Espanyol."

The game was played after Spain's Supreme Court rejected a request from prosecutors to reactivate the arrest warrant for Carles Puigdemont, who fled Spain after he was deposed as Catalonia's president, and who is facing possible charges of rebellion, sedition, and misuse of public funds over his role in the autonomous community's push to split from the country. While Barcelona identifies with Catalonia and is seen as an agent of independence, Espanyol is usually seen a club caught up in the process.