Chicharro!! Golazo!! Penalti!! My Spanish vocabulary is growing. It grows at the same time every week, Sundays between 5pm and 9pm. This is when the other best league in the world takes place. For the armchair football fan, Spain is heaven. Every week there are at least 3 live football matches, more during a champions league week. Who says there is too much football on TV? Well, some people do, but not me. Football is part of European culture. No other sport comes close. No other sport has so much history, creates so much controversy, produces such unforgettable moments, such moments of national mourning or such moments of national rejoicing. Spain is no exception. Football clubs in Spain are more than just clubs. Barcelona represent the people of Catalonia. Atletico Bilbao represent the people of the Basque Country. Real Madrid represent the traditional, conservative view of Spain. It’s that simple, or is it? Of course it’s not. In a country as complicated as Spain, no-one can agree on which club represents what. Atletico Bilbao only play Basque players, a sign of Basque nationalism if ever there was one. For others, they are the most Spanish team in the league, after all, all their players are technically Spanish citizens. Real Madrid may claim to represent Spain but they are perhaps the most hated team in Spain. One Atletico Madrid fan told me she would rather anyone, including Barcelona, won the champions league than Real Madrid. Spain is a country of regions and the teams from the regions are well supported. Having a team in a La Liga is a source of pride for the people of Cantabria, Asturias, Castilla and Leon, Andalusia, Galicia, Valencia, Navarro and Mallorca.
If what is happening on the park doesn’t entertain you, then there is sure to be something off the park that will. Madrid is a football goldfish bowl if ever there was one. There are 3 daily magazines devoted to football in Madrid and most of the pages are devoted to one subject, Real Madrid. Real Madrid are arguably the biggest name in world football. If you were forced to name the most famous club in the history of the game, you would more likely than not opt for Real. When Real are playing well, things must be calm. I say things must be calm because I don’t know. Since I have been in Madrid, Real have only attracted bad headlines from the unforgiving press. Real are not only expected to win, they are expected to win with style. They are expected to have the best footballers that money can buy. Unfortunately for them, none of this is true at the moment. To make things worse, their biggest rivals, Barcelona, are playing well, very well. The outlook doesn’t look good for their current coach. I would be very surprised if he saw out the rest of the season. That said, stranger things have happened in football. Tonight Barcelona handed Real Madrid some hope. A 1-1 draw at home to Getafe has reduced Barca’s lead to only 3 points. Could this be the beginning of the comeback? Perhaps. If Real Madrid do come back and win the league it will prove several things, nothing in football is what it seems. Nothing is certain. Anything can happen. Football is the best sport in the world.
If what is happening on the park doesn’t entertain you, then there is sure to be something off the park that will. Madrid is a football goldfish bowl if ever there was one. There are 3 daily magazines devoted to football in Madrid and most of the pages are devoted to one subject, Real Madrid. Real Madrid are arguably the biggest name in world football. If you were forced to name the most famous club in the history of the game, you would more likely than not opt for Real. When Real are playing well, things must be calm. I say things must be calm because I don’t know. Since I have been in Madrid, Real have only attracted bad headlines from the unforgiving press. Real are not only expected to win, they are expected to win with style. They are expected to have the best footballers that money can buy. Unfortunately for them, none of this is true at the moment. To make things worse, their biggest rivals, Barcelona, are playing well, very well. The outlook doesn’t look good for their current coach. I would be very surprised if he saw out the rest of the season. That said, stranger things have happened in football. Tonight Barcelona handed Real Madrid some hope. A 1-1 draw at home to Getafe has reduced Barca’s lead to only 3 points. Could this be the beginning of the comeback? Perhaps. If Real Madrid do come back and win the league it will prove several things, nothing in football is what it seems. Nothing is certain. Anything can happen. Football is the best sport in the world.
1 comment:
Real Madrid sucks!
puxa Sporting!!!
;-)
Un día veremos un partido juntos!
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