Since we first set Barcelona as a destination on the itinerary for Project Equator, we knew we had to take in a true European soccer match; and what better place than Camp Nou! Thanks to our friend Janet staying at the paradisiacal Mercer Barcelona and their incomparable concierge staff, we were able to secure tickets for 5 of us seated in 2 groups near each other. Since this was a championship match, tickets were extremely hard to come by, and we didn’t think marooning our children alone in a passion-fueled crowd of fanatical footballers was the best idea… so we are forever grateful to Manel and his colleagues!
Getting pumped for the game
The game did not disappoint, with Barcelona trouncing Milan 3-1! The electricity of the fans, the skill of the players, and the absolutely perfect weather made it an experience we will all never forget. Seeing Messi play right in front of us was just cool, and Barcelona’s mastery of the ball and field shone brightly above the weaker Milan team.
Full house tonight for the championship match
Camp Nou is one of the largest stadium in Europe and one the largest in the world, with a capacity of almost 100,000 fans. Optimized for spectating football/soccer, it seemed that every seat in the house had fantastic views of every header, bicycle kick and slide tackle. The striking thing, however, is that despite a full house of probably 99,000 fans, the noise level and crowd was noticeably tamer than a Seattle Sounders game, whose attendance averages around 44,000! There are probably 2 reasons for this: 1) Century Link Field was designed by Paul Allen’s architects to enhance the noise level, earning Seattle football and soccer fans among the loudest in the U.S., and 2) Camp Nou does not serve alcohol! As we approached the stadium, there were lots of guys with six packs selling individual cans of beer to the crowd as they approached the entrance gates, which we thought odd. But when I went to acquire my first draft to settle in properly for a major sporting event, the only choice was non-alcoholic beer! Probably a very wise on their part; FCBarcelona’s finances apparently aren’t hurt by it, as they are the second most profitable football team in the world!
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