European Stadium Review - Estadio Santiago Benrnebeu
Yesterday I went to my first ever futbol match in Europe with my buddy Josh at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid. Real took down Sevilla 2-1 in a controversial match full of epic highlights and a first-ever career brace for the Brazilian midfielder Casemiro. While I'm studying abroad this semester, I plan to write several posts reviewing the different stadiums I visit. This is the first of those articles.
Walking up to the Bernabeu, before I even turned onto the street that houses the 73-year-old temple to soccer, I could feel the energy reverberate through the fans. They weren't wearing jerseys in support of their favorite players like most Americans would at sporting events. But they were walking with a sense of purpose and commitment to their local futbol club that had become a critical part of their community's culture through the years. I could hear the chants and the music emanating from the stadium as I walked blocks away toward what would be one of my favorite live sports experiences.
When I first entered the stadium, I immediately felt the differences from the typical American experience. In the corridor, instead of being littered with TVs, advertisements, and colorful depictions of the players, the hallways were extremely basic and monotone. It felt like I was walking through the halls of a high school rather than a world-renowned soccer stadium. As I made my way to my tiny seat, however, the energy and passion pulsed throughout the crowd. The fervent section of white-laden Madridistas behind one of the goals set the tone for the rest of the crowd as they banged on their blaring drum, whistled and sang at the players, and waved massive flags in support of their club.
One of the best parts of watching sports live in person is the different perspective it offers - television has evolved to the point of offering an immersive viewing experience with varying camera angles and replays, but it's no match for watching from the midfield line in a crowd of Madrid natives. The field feels much smaller in person than it does on TV, but at the same time, the little moments of finesse and technical ability the players pull off feel gravitationally stronger in person. Watching Thibaut Courtois patrol the defensive third as Real launched offensive sequences was inspiring, and something that the TV experience can never fully capture.
Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised by the level of attention and knowledge by the Madrid supporters, but I felt like every fan was in tune with every little detail of the match. A sly handball by Sevilla elicited whistles all over the stands and the process of waiting for VAR to call back an early Sevilla goal produced a moment of overwhelming intensity everywhere. When Real scored its first goal, it felt like a cannon of emotion had shot up from the field into the crowd and I couldn't help but get on my feet and cheer. Real Madrid's fans were truly an extension of the club, as I could not imagine how difficult it would be for an opposing team to play in that environment.
Inside the stadium, the stands were stacked on top of each other in a much more vertical fashion than most American stadiums. The Big House in Michigan holds an overwhelming capacity, but it is also stretched out further horizontally to the point that it feels like a massive amount of space in between the north and south ends. The Bernebeu's stacked seating groups moved much more vertically and created an echo effect all over the stadium of whistles, cheers, and jeers. Sevilla's traveling supporters were neatly tucked away in the top corner, as far away from the action as one could be in the condensed viewing arrangement. They still made a clear impact and were incredibly loud at various points as their chants echoed through the stands.
There was a noticeable lack of advertising throughout the stadium - the only ads were those that would surely be seen on TV on the edges of the field. This supported the idea that these fans were individuals who had little patience for the superfluous experiences American sports are highly engaged in. The fans were middle-class, middle-aged individuals with a love for futbol and no time for much else. There wasn't even a jumbotron in the stadium to show replays - just a small screen across the field showing the score and where the clock stood. The lack of premium viewing features for the third-largest stadium in the world was somewhat surprising, but sports matches are not nearly the social spectacle in Spain that they are in the US. At any given Lakers game in Los Angeles, you will find rappers, politicians, actors, and other various celebrities attempting to showcase themselves on TV - this is not the case at the Bernebeu.
After the match was over, the Madridistas quickly made their way out of the stadium and back into their daily lives without a trace of evidence they had been at the match, save for a few scarves in the crowd. Mauricio Pochettinho stood outside the stadium speaking with reporters and the fans and was instantly recognized by the crowd of supporters. Real Madrid provides a much-needed break from the busy lives of the bustling Madrid citizens, and the passion for their team these fans feel is comparable to anything I have ever experienced - but the game-day experience is limited to the game itself. Luckily for me, it was an excellent match as Real took the lead in La Liga back from FC Barcelona with their 2-1 win.
