WOW!!
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messi with last kick goal
3-2 barca
Marcello's fault. Should have taken one for the team!
Why did they not just shut up shop?
What a game of football that was. Brilliant entertainment.
Anybody who didn't enjoy that doesn't like football
Messi the best ever, on a different planet to Ronaldo
Seemed to be so many Barca fans celebrating in the home crowd. Can't imagine that jacks would be allowed to cheer in the Canton Stand or the Gooners openly celebrate in the home crowd at WHL etc
I have never seen so many away fans in the home end. Away fans generally don't travel in Spain so my guess (and the fact that a lot of them were Asian) is that most of them were football tourists for the event. I suppose i can't talk cos i have been myself but i was amazed at the lack of animosity when i went. I like to have bit of edge at game to be honest.
Ronaldo has been average for a while. Well average in comparison to how he used to play.
He is rapidly turning into just a number 9. One of the worlds best number 9's but he can't beat people any more.
Still plenty of football violence in Spain, very deeply rooted in right wing / left wing politics as well as local team rivalry, been a couple of death in recent years as well.
Barcelona get about 30,000 tourist a game, more when they play the big teams, i think madrid is no different. Most of those celebrating would have been tourist, but still risky for them and who knows maybe 1 or 2 might have a thick ear this morning.
When i went over i had a ticket in the away end at the Bernabeu.
I heard a bit of commotion so i headed in that direction (being a nosey idiot) only to find that it was nothing so i went up my escalator into the away end. When i got onto the escalator i was amazed to see loads of people with Real Madrid scarfs on. When we got to the top i walked into my block and they walked into theirs. No police presence, no aggro, no nothing!
When i got to my seat i noticed that most of the Barca fans were about 16 year old couples! Real Madrid fan to the side of us were getting quite animated and it was the same people who i shared the escalator with!
I found the whole thing a bit bizarre.
Whilst it was great to see Iniesta and Messi and co play, i found the event a huge let down.
Yeah its all very sterile atmosphere in side the stadiums. Some of the real local derbies like Seville/La Courna/ Basque country are supposed to be special. Generally though its a different type of fan and with very small away crowds due to distances and KO times it is more like the theater.
I have heard that the Sevilla vs Betis derby is worth a look but Spanish football is far better from afar in my opinion and English football is becoming the same.
If it's the event and atmosphere you want then you're far better off in Turkey, Poland, Greece, Serbia etc in my opinion. Though i did enjoy Italy too.