Inter played at the Camp Nou, and it did not go as I hoped. It is clear that, for an Inter fan, Camp Nou evokes above all the memory of the two clashes of 2009-10, especially the second one, but also the first (the group phase one), which made it clear that the gap was not so wide. But those matches I watched only on TV. I've been to Camp Nou twice, both during Costa Brava holidays, in 1998 and 2008.
The match ended 5-0 and was an incredible demonstration of power by Barça, who went on to win the Champions League. I did not know yet that I had witnessed the birth of a great team, and much less thats one of his players, Eto'o would become my idol the following year. After the match, and after the anthem was played again, the stadium quickly emptied and the words "més que un club" appeared (in Spain club is the team, a fan club is peña). Also for me it was time to leave the stadium and take the bus back.
The first time was for a summer trophy, between Barcelona and Santos. Barça was in its season's first match on home field. The biggest problem was finding the stadium. In almost all Italian cities it is one of the most signaled places, but there we couldn't find a sing, and GPS and Google Maps were yet to come. I thought I left with a good advance, but instead I came when it had started sincequite long.
At least the parking was not a problem, then we bought tickets and entered (I was with a friend of mine) at 35rd minute. I never got so late, even though I recently came close. I was on the third deck, on the long side, but quite sideways. You could not see much, the impression is that at Bernabeu from the last seats you see better. The match ended 1-1, if I'm not mistaken with the first goal shortly after my arrival and the second in the second half. After the final whistle, the Barça Anthem, always impressive.
I came back 10 years later for a Champions League preliminary round (first leg) against a Polish team, I thought it was Legia Warsaw, but I saw it was not that. This time I did not have the problem of getting to the stadium: they organized a bus that went around the seaside towns. On the bus there were many Poles, especially hotel staff. I arrived well in advance: I had time to visit the store, then something unimaginable for us.
I was in a lower position than the other time, I think on the second deck, and more central. The attendance was not very numerous, but when they sang the Anthem, when teams entered the field, you could hear them. There was a lot of curiosity for the first home game of Barça, with his new manager, whom I remembered well as a player, also of Brescia, and that I did not know he started coaching: Pep Guardiola.
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