Més Que Un Club: FC Barcelona A Symbol of Catalonia

In his book Barcalonas, Manuel Vazquez Montalban, described the important impact of the team as: “the epic weapon of a country without a state or army, el Barça’s victories were like those of Athens over Sparta.”

By Citizen Correspondent Matthew Genner

Date Posted: 09/08/08

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From the time of Franco until this day Barça has been the voice of a nation. Along with the Olympic legacy it projects a modern, vibrant city where sport, food, art and architecture combine to form the unique Catalan culture.

Whether you are climbing the steps of the Sagrada Familia or sipping a coffee near La Seu in the Barri Gòtic, Barcelona has many spectacular places of worship to explore. The most important to Barcelonians, however, is the Camp Nou, home of FC Barcelona.

On match days the city is awash with the club’s colours of claret and blue, as fans travel to the stadium or cram into the bars to watch the game. Heading towards the ground, I slip into one of the many bars lining the Avinguda Diagonal to soak up the pre-match atmosphere.

Estaban Median is a culé (the Catalan word for ‘ass’), a term used to describe the loyal fans of FC Barcelona. Dating back to the twenties, it refers to the supporters who used to sit on top of the stands with their bottoms exposed to people wandering past.

Since he moved to the city fifteen years ago, Estaban has been a regular at the Camp Nou. Over a few glasses of Estrella Damm he tells me the important role that the club has played in his life.

“When I came here from Andalusia one of the ways I was able to feel part of the city and part of Catalonia was to support Barça,” he says.

“It was hard being a migrant but the club gives you an identity. Now I feel Catalan and I’m proud to live in Barcelona. Being a culé is about living and breathing Barça. The most important day of my year is when Madrid come here. The whole city is electric. Barça are playing for a nation that day, not a city.”

Leaving the bar, I walk down the Avinguda de Joan XXIII watching the fans streaming towards the stadium. The Camp Nou looms on the horizon.