Mothertongue Blog

The much-anticipated match between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid last Sunday 29 November was not just seen in millions of households around the world but also in 51 cinemas across Spain. Over 15,000 supporters enjoyed the match on the big screen, with high definition and Dolby Digital sound thanks to an agreement signed between Mediapro, the group of companies that owns the rights to broadcast football matches, and several cinema chains.

This is an unprecedented initiative in Spain that has involved cinemas throughout the country, from Cadiz to Oviedo, and, of course, Madrid and Barcelona. The approximate price to watch the game was that of a regular cinema ticket.

The agreement between Mediapro and the cinemas, valid until the end of the season, allows matches with Barça or Real Madrid to be shown every weekend. The number of theatres in which the match will be broadcast will depend on the interest in each individual game.

Ferran from Barcelona, Spain

Historically, Barça and Real Madrid represent opposite poles of Spanish football. And this season, it seems that the level of antagonism between these two football clubs is hotting up.

On June 11, Real Madrid made a mark in football history by recruiting Nike ad-man CR7, Christiano Ronaldo, for the stratospheric amount of 96 million euros. Paradoxically, on the same day in New York, the President of FC Barcelona signed an agreement with Unicef.

This may seem trivial, especially for those who aren’t football fans. However, it’s a subject which many people feel very strongly about. People can change their city of residence, their car and even their partner, but to change football clubs is very rare indeed.

The Barça and Real Madrid brands are associated with a number of values. Values that correspond to two socio-economic models that have been built over more than 100 years of history: the grandeur of Real Madrid versus the meticulousness and hard-working strategy of the Catalan club.

According to the president of the white club, Florentino Pérez, purchasing Christiano Ronaldo is an investment that will pay for itself due to the marketing pull of the Portuguese star, but you have to ask yourself, how many shirts must be sold before this starts to happen? Football is unpredictable and sometimes, even if you play well, the ball just doesn’t. What if Real Madrid draws a blank again this season?

While some people are praising Don Florentino’s actions, others talk about misconduct, immorality and arrogance in these moments of economic crisis. Guess we’ll just have to wait until the end of the season to see if his decision pays off …

Ferran from Barcelona, Spain