Barcelona secured an impressive yet comfortable 3-1 win at the Nou Camp this week against a poor Borussia Dortmund side in the Champions League. We were lucky enough to watch the match in person. During our little European break, we discovered exactly what the city of Barcelona had to offer us. Here is what we learnt from the trip.
5 things we learnt on our trip to the Nou Camp
Dortmund fans can drink
Our pre-game drinks beautifully angled to appear larger – 5 surprising things we learnt on our trip to Nou Camp
Maybe it’s the Germans in general. Maybe it’s just the Dortmund fans, or maybe it’s a combination of Estrella on tap and the Spanish air. But whatever it is, the Germans can’t half drink.
As a sophisticated cider-lover myself, it quickly became apparent that beer was on the agenda in Barcelona. Whilst cider was reserved for those hipster places that were aiming to be edgy. I made numerous attempts to order a ‘cidre’, which seemed only to be met by baffled looks from waitresses (despite my perfect attempt at mastering the Spanish language). I gave up and forced a few cervezas down me.
The Germans on the other hand definitely didn’t need any persuasion to run the beer taps of Barca dry. The away end outside the Nou Camp after the game was littered with literally thousands of tiny beer cans, sold to them by the many venders wondering the streets looking for custom.
Fair play to them. In England, there’s a certain stigma that comes with drinking; alcoholism, anti-social behaviour and walking down the street belting out ‘Sweet Caroline’ half-naked with traffic cone on your head and wearing your own sick. Yet the Dortmund fans somehow seemed both classy and friendly. Perhaps it’s just that Dortmund fans can get more than just a few pints down them without crossing the line into drunk muppet territory.
Health and safety is a myth at the Nou Camp
Camp Nou Stadium view from our seats in the clouds – 5 surprising things we learnt on our trip to Nou Camp
The day after the match, I thanked God that I was born in a time where health and safety was accounted for. Of course, in the majority of scenarios, it’s a load of complete shiezer. But the Nou Camp situation made me a tad grateful.
30, 40, 50 years ago, I dread to think how much danger there would have been lurking about. I’m not the most compos mentis at the best of times, so need additional unnecessary risks when it comes to my life. The Nou Camp, being one of those old school stadiums, would have been a deathtrap for me all those years ago.
Even this week, it wasn’t great. The steep terracing (we were sat three rows down from the highest seats in the gaff) gave any poor intoxicated soul no hope of climbing to the summit. When we eventually reached the heavens where our seats were located, a look over the edge at the back of the stadium was purely terrifying. A mere five-foot wall stood between me and plummeting 300 feet to my death.
It was a similar story in the concourse, with an even smaller wall ‘protecting’ fans from death.
Overall the Nou Camp is a magnificent stadium. However, you can certainly tell it was from an era where health and safety was taken as seriously as the Europa League. In England, stadiums are far better constructed now with safety at the forefront.
Barca fans have mixed opinions on music
Forca Barca – 5 surprising things we learnt on our trip to Nou Camp
We all have different tastes in music. Some like RnB, others classical. A select few even like a bit of Taylor Swift in the showers after the game (I’ve heard…). And it seems the Barca fans also have very select music preferences.
Accustom to every Champions League match, the famous theme song blurted out of the stadium speakers. At the Nou Camp, it was instantly met with an ear-piercing chorus of mass whistles. I felt like the King of Spain had just emerged from the tunnel with a banner displaying “F U Catalyunia” on one banner and “Barcelona – Spain’s bitch” on the other.
On the other hand, thank God they played Cant del Barca after to ease some of the tensions.
VAR is not great in Spain either
VAR, VAR where art thou – 5 surprising things we learnt on our trip to Nou Camp
Asistente de video arbitro sounds a lot nicer than video assistant referee. But the reality was the VAR left us all in the dark as much as it farcically does in the UK.
Two giant screens at either end of the Nou Camp merely stated VAR was in progress but gave no real update. The screen didn’t play any replays. Why not?
But in fairness, the decisions it did make were both very quick and correct. Still a lot of improvement to be made though. If we are going to use it as well why not add to the theatre of the process? Add some tense music as we wait. Show close-ups of players’ faces as they look on while a decision is being made. Get the cheerleaders in there as well.
Turpin is the bravest man on the planet
Turpin gives Messi a yellow card in a very brave move – 5 surprising things we learnt on our trip to Nou Camp
Three, maybe four times during the match, Barca fans all over the stadium had both arms raised straight and were bowing to Messi while praising his name. It was a surreal sight that seemed like it should have had some religious context. That said, football is somewhat a religion. And Messi is most certainly a God to all the mere mortals watching on.
That brings us onto the referee on the day, Clermont Turpin. It takes a certain level of backbone to officiate at this level with thousands of passionate fans targeting you each game. I reffed a local under 9s match once and I crumbled under the pure heat I got from the onlooking parents.
But considering the admiration for Messi, the pressure is heightened when making a decision directly regarding the Argentinian wizard. Approximately 51 minutes into the match, Messi went down after a suspect challenge in the box. He immediately rose to his feet and wagged his finger, implying it was not a foul on him.
Turpin was having none of it though, and defied Messi and the 90,000-strong crowd. He produced the little man a yellow card, which prompted outrage from the Cataluyans. Personal security and witness protection would be needed for any man who dares send off Messi at the Nou Camp. It would take a brave man.
