My First Camp Nou Experience: Barça - Osasuna

Yesterday, FC Barcelona won over Osasuna with 2 - 0 and for the first time I watched the match at Camp Nou. I was fascinated by how well you can follow the game despite the size of the stadium and enjoyed following the spontaneous comments and cires from those club members who have permanent seats. At the same time I was disappointed that we in the audience did not help our team more - apparently culers are known not to sing very much.

As for the football, I agree with those critics who have called this Barça’s worst liga match of the year. Goalkeeper Victor Valdés was the only player who made me impressed and unfortunately he had to be a lot more active than his Osasuna counterpart. True, the speed increased when Iniesta, Messi and Xavi came onto the field, but it did not result in many goals. And on Wednesday there is yet another match against Real Madrid in top form. Yes, I’am nervous!

Van fer més soroll ells / They Made More Noise

Tot i que lamentem el resultat, som majoritariament contents amb el partit entre Suècia i Espanya ahir. És evident que la nostra premsa subratlla la força sueca durant el primer temps, però és d’acord amb la d’aquí que Espanya va dominar al segon. Era una pèrdua esperada i ara tenim la sort que serà suficient amb un empat contra Rússia, per classificar-nos als quarts de final.

L’ambient al Club Suizo de Barcelona, on (gràcies a l’Iniciativa Jove de la Cambra de Comerç Hispano-Sueca) uns cent suecs vam veure el partit junts amb unes poques persones d’aquí, va ser molt bó. La vergonya és que els pocs aficionats d’Espanya van fer més soroll que nosaltres; cantant “a por ellos” i cridant-nos “IKEA” quan jugavem malament. Llàstima que els meus clips són tan foscos, però ja el so pot donar-us una sensació de com va ser.

“Amb aquella sort que custodia tots els equips somiadors, Espanya es va colar entre les favorites a lluitar pel màxim títol europeu”, escriu Avui. Tant de bo sigui així. Personalment tinc més esperança per a Espanya que per a Suècia.
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Yesterday, Iniciativa Joven of CCHS had invited all Swedish fans to the impressive Club Suizo to see the match against Spain together. We arrived just in time to see Zlatan Ibrahimović level the score to 1-1 and our younger one was totally frightened by the noice which approximately one hundred Barcelona Swedes managed to make. At the end of the game, when the 1-2 goal by David Villa put an end to our dream about a draw he stayed calm, although I would say that the the ten Spain fans who sat in the corner managed to scream at least as loud as we had done.




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Technorati tags: Spain, Barcelona, Expat, Catalonia

Catalonia - Argentina

Today, the average Swede is looking forward to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Catalans are much less excited about that event - what will stir up emotions here is - I could have added ‘as always’ - football. At 19.00 starts the friendly match between Argentina and Catalonia, expected to attract 45.000 spectators to Camp Nou and many more via TV3’s live broadcasting.

In a football crazy country like Spain, the dream of an internationally recognised football team is one of the main fronts of Catalan nationalism. It is therefore quite natural that the movement Plataforma pel Dret de Decidir will be present around the stadium in order to collect signatures for Catalonia’s right to call referendums within its territory.

From a sports point of view, the Catalans do not stand a great chance of winning. They are debilitated since natural team members from FC Barcelona (Puyol, Xavi) are busy training for the Uefa Euro 2008 with the Spain team. Only goalkeeper Valdés comes from the blaugrana, and it is instead Espanyol which contributes with the biggest number of Catalan players.

They will meet a strong Argentina actively preparing for the Olympic Games of Beijing and full of players from Spanish premier league clubs. It goes without saying that Argentinean Barça-player Leo Messi will be the focus of all attention.

Apparently by tradition, one of the players comes from the amateur Catalonia team. This time, CF Vilanova forward Santi Triguero has been selected and although he represents a 3rd division club, he has been promised to also play. What a motivation for all young football fans of our town!

Up-date: In front of 42.380 spectators (of whom not a few were Argentinians living in Catalonia), Argentina won through a goal by Lavezzi, 17 minutes before the end of the match.
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Em sembla fantàstic que un jugador de CF Vilanova, un equip de la Tercera Divisió, va rebre l’oporutnitat de formar part de la selecció catalana per al partit contra l’Argentina d’avui. M'imagino la il•lusió que els deu fer a tots els nens i joves que juguen al futbol en la nostra ciutat. Enhorabona Santi Triguero i molta sort per aquesta tarda!

Personalment no espero gaire un bon resultat amb un adversari tan fort – un equip argentí que s’està preparant per als Jocs Olímpics de Pequín. Que els catalans recordin que el més important és lluitar i no rendir-se.

No trobo res sobre aquest matx en laVanguardia d’avui. Que és una decisió politica això?

Henrik Larsson’s Sixth Championship / La tornada d’en Larsson

Fans of Henrik Larsson will be delighted to hear that the former player of FC Barcelona (and more recently, although temporarily, also of Manchester United) has accepted to play for Sweden in the Euro 2008 of this summer.

Sweden manager Lars Lagerbäck has had an obvious preference for senior players – the average age of the Sweden national football team is 29,35 years this time – however, 36-year-old Larsson will be in a class of his own.

As a Swede, I hope that experience will bring us success during the coming games. What the high average age says about the future of Swedish football is an question which I am happy to pass on to more knowledgeable people.
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Aficionats d’en Henrik Larsson, que jugava en FC Barcelona durant les temporades 2004-05 i 2005-06, tindran la possibilitat de veure’l de nou aquest estiu. L’entrenador de la selecció sueca, el Lars Lagerbäck, va confirmar que el Larsson va acceptar de participar en el campionat europeu de futbol. Serà el seu sisè gran campionat. Amb 36 anys, el Larsson serà el major de tots els jugadors suecs si no de tot l’Euro Copa 2008.