El Clásico: where football died (I)

Another match between two of football's greatest rivalries. If recent history has taught us anything it's that these matches are not about football at all

I've always said that football is the greatest sport in the world with the dumbest set of rules ever conceived. As a result, the referee wields the kind of power dictators envy; the kind of power that determines the outcome of matches and the fortunes of clubs and players. As Lord Acton once said, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

Tonight we will witness the nth edition of "El Clásico," a match pitting Barcelona vs. Real Madrid (or vice versa), the single biggest club level match currently played and one of the greatest rivalries of all time. Worldwide TV audience is estimated to be 500 million.

In recent times, what was supposed to be a celebration of the "beautiful game" has been anything but. Sloppy play, excessive fouling coupled with B-movie theatrics and the referee's inability to control the match have put into question the impartiality of the arbiter and the hidden agenda of UEFA officials, European football's governing body. More about that later.

If this match were purely about team work, ball control and incredible goal scoring abilities, then there would be nothing to say. However, this match is much more than football. It's politics.

Barça is the darling of Europe. They are that rogue, independence seeking, left leaning, liberal province against the centrist, conservative, controlling power of Madrid. It's David against Goliath. Everybody loves an underdog, especially one that is capable of sticking it to the man.

This resentment towards Madrid dates back to Franco and the Spanish Civil War. Catalonia was one of the most outspoken defenders of the 2nd Spanish Republic, the same republic the International Brigade volunteered to defend against the Nationalist forces of Franco and his Nazi war machine. (Although not officially war time allies, Spain and Germany have always had close ties. This relationship dates back to the reign of Charles V and the Austro-Hungarian Habsburg dynasty in the 15th century) So naturally, after the Nationalist victory, Franco shafted the Barcelona and Basque regions for their separatist desires and imposed strict controls on them for over 40 years. Barça, rightly or wrongly, have always felt suppressed by the yoke of Imperial Spain in general and by the dictatorship of Franco in particular. Franco was pro Catholic Church, the republicans wanted to annihilate it. On top of this, any FCB (Fútbol Club Barcelona) die hard will tell you that one of the greatest players of all time, Alfredo Di Stefano, was "stolen" from Barcelona and recruited to play in Madrid by Franco. You'll have to ask Don Alfredo about that one.

Therefore, even before the match starts, decades of excess mental baggage are hanging over the heads of every local aficionado, regardless of side they're supporting.

(to be continued...)