FC Barcelona: Visca Barça!

Ask any local about the sacred Sardana dance of Catalonia and they will probably shrug their shoulders disinterestedly. Inquire about their opinion on Gaudi and they will no doubt stifle a yawn. But start a conversation about their beloved Barcelona Football Club and the chances are (providing you don’t support Real Madrid) that this previously laconic soul will take great pleasure bending your ear about the magnificent skills of the latest graduates of famous La Masia academy, or else recount some of the team’s historic victories and the glistening trophies sitting in the cabinet.

In the legendary 2008/2009 season alone, Barcelona FC won a historic treble, topping La Liga, taking home the Copa del Rey (the Spanish domestic cup) and outplaying Cristiano Ronaldo and Manchester United to win the Champions League Final in Rome. Not bad going! They also claimed Europe’s top honours in 2010/11 and 2014/15, while they challenge for La Liga title and Copa del Rey almost every season without fail.

Football is something of a national religion in Catalonia and come match day all the bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants in Barcelona will be showing the big game…

Football is something of a national religion in Catalonia (even more so than in the rest of Spain) and come match day all the bars, pubs, cafes and restaurants in Barcelona will be showing the big game – and what’s more they’ll all be packed to the rafters with football fans shouting Visca Barça!, and singing the Cant del Barça, the football club’s famous anthem at the top of their lungs.

If you want to endear yourself to the fiercely Catalan locals, a rudimentary knowledge of the team’s history and current squad will get you much further than impeccable manners and a smile… in short, dear friends, read on, after all FC Barcelona is ‘més que un club’ (more than a club!).

History of Barcelona Football Club

Barcelona FC was in fact established, not by a Catalan, but by a Swiss man named Max Gamper in 1899 (who, falling in love with Catalonia adopted the more local sounding name, Joan Gamper). Gamper assembled a cosmopolitan crew of players after placing an advert in a local paper. Not long after, in 1902 the team won their first trophy, the Catalan Cup, known as Copa Macaya. After his playing years Gamper later went on to be president, serving five times between 1908 and 1923 and, with the help of Englishman Jack Greenwell as manager, FC Barcelona won the Campeonato de Cataluna eleven times, the Copa del Rey six times and the Coupe de Pyrenées four times during this golden period.

The dapper gents of 1903…

Difficult years followed under the Riviera Republic and Spanish Civil War, and when Franco emerged as dictator in 1939 things got worse for the club. Franco was determined to suppress Catalan nationalism and the team were forced to change their name from the Catalan ‘Futbol Club Barcelona’, to the Spanish ‘Club de Futbol Barcelona’ and remove the Catalan flag from their crest. Minor changes but a major insult to Catalan pride and identity! Although the club continued to do well during the Franco era it was always overshadowed by the state-backed Real Madrid CF, whose riches bought them both domestic and European success and made them the most successful club on the continent.

With Franco’s power on the wane, a new era dawned for Barcelona led by the mercurial Johan Cruyff, who signed for Barça in 1973, despite overtures from Real Madrid. Cruyff won instant cult status in Catalonia when he told the international press he would never play for a team associated with Franco. The Dutchman immediately led the club to its first league title since 1960 and won European Player of the Year into the bargain.

Cruyff had even more success as a manager. Returning to Barca FC in 1988 he assembled the legendary ‘Dream Team’ consisting of Gheorghe Hagi, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romario and Pep Guardiola…

Cruyff had even more success as a manager. Returning to Barca FC in 1988 he assembled the legendary ‘Dream Team‘ consisting of Gheorghe Hagi, Ronald Koeman, Michael Laudrup, Romario and Pep Guardiola (who of course went on to similar levels of success as manager himself!). The Dream Team won back to back La Liga titles from 1991 to 1994.

The Dream Team winning the 1992 European Cup (Photo: Sky Sports).

With players like Luis Figo, Patrick Kluivert, Luis Enrique and Rivaldo gracing the grass of Camp Nou, Barça was able to considerably add to its trophy cabinet in the late 90s, and with the appointment of Frank Rijkaard in 2003 the new millennium has also been generous. Players of the calibre of Ronaldinho, Deco, Henrik Larsson, Ludovic Giuly helped FC Barcelona win a glut more titles, notably the European Cup in 2005/6 (when German goalkeeper Jens Lehmann got himself sent off in the final, leaving a star-studded Arsenal team to do battle with just ten men).

Barcelona FC won a historic treble consisting of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League in the 2008/9 season. And they did it playing some of the most attractive football on the planet!

Sadly for Barça fans, the team was unable to build on this success and after two barren years Rijkaard was replaced by Pep Guardiola in 2008. The sharply-dressed former Dream Team captain instantly delivered the goods, and with a squad built around a devastatingly creative midfield, Barcelona FC won a historic treble consisting of La Liga, Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League in the 2008/9 season. And they did it playing some of the most attractive football on the planet! Under Guardiola the team continued to thrive adding two more La Liga titles, another European Cup (beating Man United 3-1 in Wembley Stadium in 2011) and signing off with Copa del Rey win.

The post-Guardiola era saw the additions of Neymar and Suarez to the team, who formed a potent attacking force either side of Lionel Messi, scoring a record amount of goals between them (131 in a single season). After the Catalan coach left, the team secured three more La Liga titles and another European Final, this time defeating Juventus 3-1 in Berlin, with Luis Enrique as coach.

Several more coaches have been in and out the door since then, with Barcelona seemingly settling on legendary ex-player Xavi as the man to build for the future, with a host of talented young players from La Masia at his disposal.

FC Barcelona Players

Cruyff, Maradona, (Brazilian) Ronaldo and Ronaldinho have all won the hallowed crimson and blue shirt in seasons past, collecting plenty of trophies en route, but none of course can touch the peerless Lionel Messi, who scored a surely unassailable 672 goals for the club, before moving to PSG.

Star of the show… (Photo by Lluis / Wikipedia).

With Lionel Messi departing the club in 2021, the club has entered a challenging but exciting new era, in which all its fans hope to see the rise of a new generation stars to match those of the late 2000s. Of course there will be signings on the way, with the latest big star to arrive being Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who brings goals and experience to this young side.

How To Buy FC Barcelona Tickets

There are are several ways you can buy tickets for FC Barcelona matches as a tourist. The first is go to a comparison website like Ticket Compare and check the prices of all the major global resellers, like Stubhub, Ticketmaster, Football365 and Wow. This way you guarantee the best available rates!

BUY FC BARCELONA TICKETS

The second is check to see if the official club website has any tickets left. They tend to sell out pretty quickly, but with a bit of luck you might find seats available still. Otherwise refer back to the online sellers above.

The third is to get in touch with Barcelona Life. Our local contacts mean we have low-priced tickets for most home games… although not El Clasico unfortunately! But any other game, get in touch with us and let us know which match you’re interested in.

Can you buy match tickets at the stadium? Yes, if the match hasn’t sold out. But I wouldn’t recommend that for any major La Liga fixture or Champions League game, as you are likely to be out of luck. Much better to secure tickets via the other three channels on this page.

– El Clasico Tickets

Remember for popular games, like Real Madrid vs. Barcelona (aka ‘el clasico’), or for Champions League games, you will have to be very quick off the draw. It’s almost impossible to buy tickets on the official website and your best bet is through Ticket Compare.

– Champions League Tickets

Some of the most fun nights at the Camp Nou unfold during the UEFA Champions League, so if you’re lucky enough to be in town during football’s elite club competition be sure to grab tickets.

– Corporate Hospitality

If you are looking for box seats or VIP tickets to a game then check out our article about corporate hospitality, which includes a big section about corporate entertainment at FC Barcelona. Or more simply, drop us a line with your requirements and we’ll be able to get you a quote.

Getting to the Camp Nou Stadium

The team’s legendary Camp Nou stadium (often called Nou Camp by mistake!) seats a whopping 99,000 with a Norman Foster-designed extension in the making. To get there by public transport take the metro line 3 (L3) to Maria Cristina station, and simply follow the crowds.

Where to Watch the Game Live on TV

Obviously the numerous sports bars in Barcelona should be your first point of call if you’re desperate to catch the action live, although you’ll never struggle to find a place to watch the game – almost every venue in the city screens Barça matches, from fancy lounge bars to greasy kebab shops. For some English-speaking company you’re best rocking up to an English or Irish pub.

More Information

For the latest team news, transfers, gossip, insider info, results and more check out the Barca Blaugranes blog, whilst the official FC Barcelona website has information in both English and Catalan – and surprisingly in Spanish too!