News
JUE 05.05.2016
From north to south, and from east to west. Emotions are running high in all four corners of the earth in the final straight of the Liga BBVA season. The buzz ahead of the last couple of matchdays is not just restricted to Spain. The whole planet is waiting with bated breath to see how things unfold and who will be crowned 2015/16 champions.
More nervous than most are the fans of FC Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid, who have their hearts in their mouths ahead of the big finale and are glued to their TV sets and radios, social media profiles and the press right now. And, with distance no reason not to follow all the action closely, we spoke to three far-flung supporters' clubs who told us how they're experiencing this thrilling title race from thousands of kilometres away.
Penya Barcelonista San Francisco
"Here in San Francisco we're really pumped up about the end of the LaLiga season that we're witnessing and, above all, about the next match against RCD Espanyol," was the word from this supporters' club on the West Coast of the United States. They get together every week to watch Barça games at a cafeteria in San Francisco's waterfront Embarcadero district: "Because of the kick-off times, we enjoy LaLiga over breakfast and with the morning breeze," said the founder and manager of the group, Robert Manson. This is just one of more than 2,000 official supporters' clubs that the Azulgranas have across the globe, all of whom are dreaming of celebrating the Liga BBVA title in the coming days.
Peña AtleTICA de Costa Rica
Across the Atlantic, a collection of Costa Rican Rojiblancos fans are thrilled by the prospect of their team repeating their feat from two seasons ago. "As a supporters' club, we are getting into these last few games intensely: we're kicking every shot, every pass and every ball, and pushing that bit more. We never stop cheering them on because, despite the distance, we believe that our chants reach the soul of the Calderon," explained these Ticos who are Atletico through and through, and have been loyally following the club for more than 20 years.
But not winning the title wouldn't be a failure, at least not in the view of the group's president, Ronald Barboza: "Whatever the result, we don't feed off trophies, but rather off the fever that Atleti generate."
Peña Madridista Argelia (Algeria)
"We're buzzing with anticipation here in Algeria. There's not much to choose between the three teams in terms of points and although we need the other two to drop points along the way, we're sure that Real Madrid will keep fighting to the end, just like the anthem goes."
"The competition is fierce, but we're sure that the team aren't going to give up and will close things out in a manner worthy of Real Madrid: with grit, honour, a winning mentality and leaving it all out on the pitch," stressed the members of this supporters' club in North Africa.
Whatever happens between now and the conclusion of the campaign, if there's one thing these fans' example shows, it is that in football, passion and hope know no bounds.
© LALIGA - 2016