BARÇA AND CATALONIA

This column is dedicated to all Barça's fans oway from Catalonia, who have difficulties realizing what BARÇA represents in our historic inheritance and our THIRST FOR FREEDOM. 

Let us start by taking a fast look on Barcelona's history. Catalonia was since the end of the last  millenium until 1734 a confederate kingdom which extended along the Mediterranean sea. Its capital, BARCELONA, stablished the first  House of Commons in Europe,  to control the King's government. It was named  "Consell de Cent" (CouncIl of One Hundred) and was integrated by the heads of all arts and trades and distinguished citizens. The first Civil Code and the first Sea Merchant's Laws were created in Barcelona at the beginning of the 11th Century, when Iberia still was a land of arabian and gothic mountain kingdoms fighting each other as their way of life.

Centuries before the Spanish dialect was born in Castillia, catalans wrote poetry and presented theatre plays, were proud of  their abilities in reading, writing and simple math problems. Such advanced culture and acumulated wealth of Barcelona were the motives that impelled the Borbon Kingdom to invade Catalonia. War lasted over two years, until 1714, when the last battle was lost to the invader truans and Catalonia was subjected to the Borbon Empire, same as Amercia's colonies and the Philipines. Both overseas domains were able to emancipate from Spain, but Catalonia still remains as a domestic colony. All intents to regain freedom have been dramatically smashed with rutheless methods and high loss of men, specially intellectuals and political leaders.

During 300 years, Spain has strained Catalonia through abusive taxes and done systematic efforts to erradicate Catalonia's culture, folklore, language, history and traditions up to the extreme of the Supreme Court penalizing the use of catalan and forbidding it's use.  Many catalan teachers were executed when dicovered using their native language by the Borbon rulers and Franco's regime . Not happy with such legal crimes, Spain's media still ridiculizes almost all aspects that have to do with Catalonia: our festivities, flag and national anthem, popular sports, characteristic accent, folklore... only BARCELONA FOOTBALL CLUB stands on their way, demonstrating every day to be the best Club in the World.

Along the 21st CENTURY, BARÇA's power has been expectacular.  Spanish Government's finalcial efforts helping Real Madrid to buy expensive players (Beckham, Crisitano, Kaka) have been of no use against Barça's home made players: Guardiola, Iniesta, Xavi, Messi. and many others. On the other hand, dictaitor Franco's days are over. In his time superb class players that acted in Spain were automatically transfered to Real Madrid, and referies had to act in favour of the Government's team: Real Madrid, the only positive factor that Franco's regime could show to the World, so it had to be invincible at all costs.

Since the year 2000 BARÇA's team and organization have become the world's football reference, leaving Real Madrid way behind. The Spanish Governement offered BARÇA 3 MILLION € yearly for it's permit to use the Club as a Spanish reference, but the team has refused and only Catalonia gets the credit for Barça's voctorious campaings which have permited the World to discover  this very particular corner on the Mediterranean sea.

BARÇA is a genuine example of catalan's efforts and values, long term planning, education and sportmanship of its players, so different from Spain's official team, which preferes to buy players at any cost.. Besides, BARÇA also dedicates many efforts heping disfavored chilldren through sports arround the World and fighting  deseases such as polio in association with UNICEF and the Melinda and Bill Gates Foundation.




It was my purpose to answer some elementary questions to those who couldn't understand why Barsa's fans and the team insist on saying WE ARE CATALANS (never Spaniols, except when having to participate in the National Team) and the reasons that moove Spanish media when throwing dirt upon Barcelona's football team. 

Economic and cultural aspects of Catalonia are not allways known across the sea, but BARÇA, champion of champs in many ways, catches the attention of the World when takes the scene collecting the Fair Play Distinction from UEFA abd FIFA every year. Its players are inevitably present among the first five players of the World and during the last four years Barça's home made cracks have won the Golden Ball Trophy and Europe's Best Player Award. Such great curriculum demonstrates that CATALONIA is a stranger in Spain and WHY WE INTEND TO RECUPERATE FREEDOM.