17
May
2011
Barca v Real: Can’t Fans Just Get Along?
The complaints are starting to pick up pace. I am still amazed at the amount of good will GolTV receives from our viewers, but there's a bit more bitterness in the mailbag recently and it revolves around La Liga’s dynamic duo of Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The most confusing part is the complaints are from opposite ends of the spectrum. In comments on this blog, I’m getting attacked by Real Madrid fans for being pro-Barcelona. On Facebook I’m hearing it from Blaugrana fans that I’m too pro-Merengue. On Twitter, I hear it both ways, sometimes within seconds of each other. Can you guys get together and make your mind up?
Barcelona fans, just because I was pointing out that as big a lead as the Catalan giants had, they were not playing up to the standard they set earlier this season. And at that point, yes, Real Madrid had a chance to catch them. That’s not rooting for Madrid, that’s doing my job.
Real Madrid fans, I believe I know where you’re coming from. I understand after three years of frustration you start to believe everyone is against you. The fact Jose Mourinho seems to be getting more paranoid every week probably doesn’t help.
I appreciate your passion. However, did you rip off a quick email to Alfredo Di Stefano after his comments ripping into Real? Did you get angry at former Madrid stars like Zidane and McManaman after they said Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo?
If you are not amazed at the brilliance of Messi, and do not respect the system Barcelona has introduced you are not a football fan, you are nothing more than a Real Madrid shill.
And Barcelona fans that demean Ronaldo’s fantastic, historic season because he takes more shots than Messi, get real. After all, isn’t one of the complaints about your own team that there are times when no one wants to shoot?
I am not a ‘fan’ of either side, but as a fan of the game I appreciate the abilities of both teams. Honestly, I root for the day the unfair television revenue advantage the two giants have is balanced out so other teams don’t start the season with their feet already in a six-foot-deep hole.
As an Arsenal fan, I have become accustomed to recognizing my team’s shortcomings, hoping they would improve, while realizing the strengths of United, Chelsea, etc.
Real is a team with remarkable talent and drive, but ‘the best team money can buy’ burns most Real faithful. Barcelona also spends (and most of the time wastes) millions on new talent, but it seems to be ignored by the myth-like reverence towards La Masia.
Barcelona fans don’t like the label of cheats and divers that popped up recently, correctly pointing to the physical challenges that went unpunished in earlier meetings. Real was fortunate not to draw more whistles and cards over the quartet of Clasicos. Still, Busquets and Pedro deserved ridicule, if not sanctions for their unsporting exaggerations.
Real Madrid has built a phenomenal team. However, they have the bad fortune of bad timing as their arch rivals have built a team for the ages. Barcelona deserved the championship, but Real should be praised for their Copa del Rey accomplishment. And if it weren’t for the somewhat-harsh red card to Pepe, there’s a good chance it would have been Real in the CL semis, not Barca.
If Mourinho and Guardiola both stick around and everyone stays healthy, fans of both teams have an amazing season to look forward to next year. Don’t get frustrated every time someone says something nice about your rival. Enjoy your own side's magnificent accomplishments.
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What do you think? Let me know. Please write below or tweet me @PhilSchoen
Barcelona fans, just because I was pointing out that as big a lead as the Catalan giants had, they were not playing up to the standard they set earlier this season. And at that point, yes, Real Madrid had a chance to catch them. That’s not rooting for Madrid, that’s doing my job.
Real Madrid fans, I believe I know where you’re coming from. I understand after three years of frustration you start to believe everyone is against you. The fact Jose Mourinho seems to be getting more paranoid every week probably doesn’t help.
I appreciate your passion. However, did you rip off a quick email to Alfredo Di Stefano after his comments ripping into Real? Did you get angry at former Madrid stars like Zidane and McManaman after they said Lionel Messi is better than Cristiano Ronaldo?
If you are not amazed at the brilliance of Messi, and do not respect the system Barcelona has introduced you are not a football fan, you are nothing more than a Real Madrid shill.
And Barcelona fans that demean Ronaldo’s fantastic, historic season because he takes more shots than Messi, get real. After all, isn’t one of the complaints about your own team that there are times when no one wants to shoot?
I am not a ‘fan’ of either side, but as a fan of the game I appreciate the abilities of both teams. Honestly, I root for the day the unfair television revenue advantage the two giants have is balanced out so other teams don’t start the season with their feet already in a six-foot-deep hole.
As an Arsenal fan, I have become accustomed to recognizing my team’s shortcomings, hoping they would improve, while realizing the strengths of United, Chelsea, etc.
Real is a team with remarkable talent and drive, but ‘the best team money can buy’ burns most Real faithful. Barcelona also spends (and most of the time wastes) millions on new talent, but it seems to be ignored by the myth-like reverence towards La Masia.
Barcelona fans don’t like the label of cheats and divers that popped up recently, correctly pointing to the physical challenges that went unpunished in earlier meetings. Real was fortunate not to draw more whistles and cards over the quartet of Clasicos. Still, Busquets and Pedro deserved ridicule, if not sanctions for their unsporting exaggerations.
Real Madrid has built a phenomenal team. However, they have the bad fortune of bad timing as their arch rivals have built a team for the ages. Barcelona deserved the championship, but Real should be praised for their Copa del Rey accomplishment. And if it weren’t for the somewhat-harsh red card to Pepe, there’s a good chance it would have been Real in the CL semis, not Barca.
If Mourinho and Guardiola both stick around and everyone stays healthy, fans of both teams have an amazing season to look forward to next year. Don’t get frustrated every time someone says something nice about your rival. Enjoy your own side's magnificent accomplishments.
---
What do you think? Let me know. Please write below or tweet me @PhilSchoen