Barcelona-Real Madrid "El Clásico" 2010/2011 Season

Spanish Division leader Real Madrid faces Barcelona for the first time this season. This classic match up couldn't be more "Clásico"! Barça trails Real Madrid in the division by only one point - but position is not the only thing at stake here; PRIDE rules all, and Madrid hasn't beaten its rival since 2008. This'll be even harder to accomplish in Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium, in front of a sold-out crowd of nearly 100,000 screaming and singing fans from both sides; mostly from Barcelona.

So Real Madrid hasn't beaten FC Barcelona since 2008. That's a long time. That's shameful. And that hurts. But under the direction of the new coach, Jose Mourinho, there's new hope along with newer, higher expectations for this matchup. They say this is a new-and-improved Real Madrid team. They say this time they will face-up and conquer Barça, a perennially power. They say a lot of things. The proof is in the play so let's see what happens Monday night at 9pm. The Spanish leader Real Madrid and Barcelona are separated by only one point going into this season’s most important game and both are in great form.

The fans are rabid on both sides as well - and not only for their team to pull ahead in the Spanish Division, but also because this is a pay-per-view event. Don't THEY know we're in the middle of an economic crisis?? This means many fans will gather at local neighborhood bars, pack living rooms to divide the cost to watch live on TV, and in front of computer screens searching the Internet to see if they can watch live online for free - or otherwise.

This is the first of two games these two leading teams will meet each other this season. The next will be in April and who knows where either will stand at that time - probably swapping leading positions with every game. And since this "El Clásico" is played in Barcelona's Camp Nou Stadium, where the attendance could potentially reach nearly 100,000, the phrase "hostile environment" has never seemed more appropriate. Should Real Madrid beat Barça IN Barcelona, expect car fires and riots in the streets. Hope shop owners remember to board up their windows.

Who will rule the pitch, "Scoring-Machine Messi" or "Pretty-Boy Ronaldo"? (to be fair, Cristiano Ronaldo is the current league scorer, leading Lionel Messi by 1-point) We'll all see soon enough.

Enjoy the game! But remember there's a lot of season left to be played - and another meeting in Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in April 2011.

Spain-Holland: World Cup Final 2010

Whether or not you believe in clairvoyant "Pulpo Paul", the 2010 World Cup Final match featuring a strong Spanish Team and the respectable Holland team will no doubt be exciting tomorrow/Sunday night - 8:30pm Spain time, 2:30pm New York Time.

No other World Cup game has been as important as this one. This time it's for the World Cup Title, one which has eluded Spain for literally an eternity. And as with all previous World Cup games, Spain's passionate fans will be glued to their television sets in living rooms, bars, and big-screen TVs in plazas throughout the country.

Just today, as with previous late-round matchups, lines are long at supermarkets with carts full of liter bottles of beer, soft drinks, and snacks, all stocking-up for the biggest sporting event of Spain's history. LITERALLY! As the saying goes, "It doesn't get any better than this."

If Spain wins people will be spilling out of their homes and local bars, joining like-minded Spain-Soccer-Worshipers on the streets, horns will honk all night, flags will be waved from the highest heights, and media coverage will likely last a week at least.

See how people are watching the game or celebrating the win (or lamenting the loss) on BarcelonaMan's Barcelona WebCams and MadridMan's Spain and Madrid WebCams. It also appears that TeleCinco.es will be broadcasting the World Cup Final live online.

Spanish flags are EVERYWHERE; hanging from every third window or balcony, car antennas, bus mirrors, and even from power lines! For an American, this would be a (nearly) normal sight. But in Spain, a country deeply divided by politics, it's an oddity to see so many of them away from government buildings.

But national sports break down barriers and united people regardless of their beliefs. Of course, this only goes for those whom enjoy sports. Spain has a very strong anti-sport contingent as well. These people see this worldwide "diversion" as a waste of time, resources, and media, all siphoning desperately needed attention away from more important social, environmental, and political issues. I can understand and appreciate their argument and they carry weight.

The header goal by Catalán Carles Pujol last Wednesday, lifting Spain over Germany, brought my neighborhood to a euphoric level. Car horns were honking (for hours!), people in the street and adjacent windows shouting, and everyone enjoying a common experience. That's really something. Even I, watching the game at home, had moist eyes - and I don't really even enjoy soccer/football/fútbol all that much. It was an emotional moment. Shame they're so few and far between in that game.

Tomorrow night's game is big and I won't miss it for anything. It'll make history for either team, neither of which has reached the World Cup Final game. EVER!

People everywhere are talking about Spain's chances, their favorite players, their belief or disdain for "Pulpo Paul", and what a win will mean for Spain. Will it mean anything apart from a new trophy and Champion's Bragging Rights until the next World Cup competition in 4 years? Probably not, but that's sport for you; pure entertainment, hobby, and diversion. Plus, it gives us something happy to talk about instead of the world's problems. No one wants to face those.

But for this moment we're all together, enjoying a common goal, sharing a beer, biting each others' nails, and hugging the sweaty stranger next to us when David Villa, Carles Pujol, Andrés Iniesta, or (other) puts the ball in their opponent's net. If we win, great. If we lose, well, we can then go back to worrying about the world's troubles.

Barcelona 0 - 1 Real Madrid

Last night Real Madrid defeated Barcelona in Camp Nou Stadium, 1-0. A sad loss in front of the majority of the 98,000 persons in attendance and certainly NOT the holiday "gift" Barcelona was expecting, being favored for the match-up.

The single goal was scored in the first half by Real Madrid's Julio Baptista from Brazil, giving Real not only the eventual win but also a 7-point lead in La Liga.

FC Barcelona has a short Christmas and New Years break until hosting visiting Alcoyano on 2 January 2008.

Barça meets Real Madrid again in Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on 7 May 2008. Let's see if FC Barcelona can turn the tables.

FC Barcelona, Real Madrid Football Grudge Match

It's that time again...

"LET'S GET READY TO..."
(...you know what - it's trademarked)

FC Barcelona faces Real Madrid in their first meeting of this season on the Estadio Camp Nou turf on December 23, 2007 (unless the date changes - which happens sometimes).

This time, Real Madrid has more to lose than FC Barcelona as Real Madrid is leading the Spanish Primera Division, just ahead of Barça.

While watching this football game will likely be a pay-per-view event (how can it NOT be??), one can likely catch it in any Barcelona bar, Madrid bar, or likely ANY BAR in Spain!

One can ALSO MOST CERTAINLY listen live to the game via any one of the number of online radio stations listed on the Barcelona Radio, TV, Movies, and Movies page on BarcelonaMan.com. Radio Nacional de España is a likely choice for the football broadcast as is MARCA. Of course, the broadcast will be given in Spanish. Or if you're listening through one of the Barcelona radio station, then, in Catalán.

Finally, for those who don't understand Spanish or Catalán, you can watch the ESPNsoccernet, click Europe, then Spanish La Liga, then Scores, and choose your team/matchup, then click Gamecast (live, graphical and textual play-by-play action).

Their NEXT meeting of this season will be in Madrid's Estadio Santiago Bernabéau on May 7, 2008.

Whom do I want to win? Can I choose a 2-2 tie??