Anda, venga, tira! Oui!! One fútbol game in Spain just wasn't enough for me. Today, my friends and I went to cheer on Real Betis at the Estadio Ruiz de Lopera. Betis is the Roman name for the Guadalquivir river and is the other fútbol club in Sevilla. They play in the second division but the rumor is they are moving up because of their good season this year (they beat Barcelona earlier, which is the number one team in the first division). Although Real Betis and FC Sevilla do not compete against each other, there is still an intense rivalry between the teams. Personally, I choose Betis. I like them because they are the underdogs....they may not have the big names, but they are still successful and a majority of the players are born and raised Sevillanos. Plus, Béticos (fans) are very passionate about the game and their team (like the Badgers). I absolutely loved the atmosphere of the stadium and game. Just like any other European soccer game, there is a section behind one of the goals that stands the whole time and leads the fans in their team's songs/cheers. They keep the atmosphere lively and exciting. We didn't know the cheers, but the beat of some songs was familiar and we were able to clap along. We also supported our team by yelling and raising our arms up every time someone hit the ground (foul or no), or even just to see if we could get a questionable call to go our way. Betis was playing a team from the north of Spain, Celta de Vigo. We got to see 2 goals - one by Vigo and a response by Betis. When our green and white team scored, the stadium was electric and fans whipped around their scarves in celebration. Although we didn't lose, the fans in front of us were not so happy with a tie. One guy kicked the stadium seat so hard that it broke...they take their fútbol seriously here.
No comments:
Post a Comment