Yep, that's right I will now talk about the most important event of the year, part I of a four-parts-drama to take place beginning on Saturday, April 16, 2011, DAY ONE - YEAR ONE, as we, civilized folks call it. This Saturday some savages here in the States will NOT watch [gasp!]:
Barcelona - Real Madrid
Let me "educate you", you can thank me later...(he, he, he):
Barcelona Football Club is, the Catalans argue, "Mes que un Club" which translates to "More than a Club". El Clasico is, indeed, greater than a your every day derby or rivalry adventure. These football [NOT SOCCER!!!] matches in Spain are kindled by a fire fueled by political and nationalist aspirations. There is a long, twisting, history of hatred and boiling blood between the capital of the country and the capital of Catalonia. Battles [war battles in fact] of the two date back to the Spanish Civil War and beyond. Those who play for the Clubs endorse the teachings of what it means to bare the shirt they will make their trade in. The message has been burned into the hearts of the players who rise from the depths of the Clubs' academies but those transferred in quickly adapt the meaning and the club's sense of pride which comes with a hefty side of disgust for the El Clasico counterpart. Real Madrid represent the Capital, the pride of Spanish football, the power of money in sports, they are dubbed the most successful club of the 20th century by FIFA. Barcelona depict a much different image. They are the reformation, the intellectual curiosity, the love for the arts and Freedom, the rebellion. Often times consider themselves and Catalonia as a whole, as a separate nation with a different culture, language, and history, living in the great shadow cast by the Royal Club of Madrid. The feud is never ending and the personas of protagonist and antagonists have never been officially determined.
This weekend's match could be the very pinnacle of the El Clasico history. The rivalry continues to grow and after Barcelona went on to win all three of the available contests during 2008-2009, impressive feat which eventually lead to a sextuplet in completion births that the first three privileged. The Blaugrana are the only team to ever achieve this feat. Barcelona also stormed into the Bernabeu in 2008 and humiliated los blancos 6-2 in front of their own extremely hard to impress fans. In reaction Real Madrid were in search of a renaissance. Last year Barcelona trashed Real Madrid again in the Camp Nou by a massive score, 5-0. BTW, the next pic shows you how to indicate the number 5 in Catalan:
So, folks, friends and foes alike, cultivate yourselves this Saturday, grab a good beer or a glass of the finest wine and join the rest of the civilized world, please!
Le film de Pep Guardiola avant la finale de... by flo34mtp