Posts Tagged ‘Championship match’
Last night was one of the most unique experiences I have had yet. As thousands and thousands of Barça fans flooded the streets (with not a ManU jersey in sight….might I add), my roommate and I headed toward Maremagnum, where a big screen was being erected to show the Championship match between FC Barcelona and Manchester United.
Mind you, we are both 5 feet tall (around 1.5 meters), from the Midwestern United States, and accustomed to large crowds and fairly aggressive people. Yet.. nothing could have prepared us for the night that was to come. We laughed at the huge swarm of people crossing the bridge out to the mall area, and wondered where they could possibly all fit (I’m not sure it was the best choice of location, considering..). Then we realized, they couldn’t.
The majority of spectators couldn’t actually see the game, but a creative few climbed into plants, up light poles, and stood on chairs for more than 2 hours in order to watch Barça defeat Manchester United 2-0. After being shoved in too many directions to count, stepped on, and more or less physically assaulted (but not in a mean way), we made it to a ledge where we could sit and see (sort of) what was going on in the game. Looking over the crowd was incredible, and I am so glad I got to join in in such a great moment for the people of Barcelona. Tourists (aka guiris) and locals alike were decked out in red and blue, with scarves, flags, and banners wrapped around their necks to demonstrate the intense pride they feel for their team. After the final buzzer, pedestrians, drivers, and motorists flooded out into the streets, honking, waving, and yelling, and the noise level was unbelievable. It was certainly a once in a lifetime experience. Who would have though soccer (or should I say football) could be so exciting?
