In Budapest, 1,200 Culer fans witnessed FC Barcelona’s first European final. After lifting the first Champions League in Gothenburg behind closed doors, due to the pandemic, a Blaugrana tide invaded Turin. More than 15,000 people traveled last year in one of the most crowded trips that can be remembered in the history of the competition. This year, an estimated 8,000 fans, according to UEFA estimates, will be in Eindhoven to cheer on Barca in Saturday’s final (4pm) against Wolfsburg.
800 of them will do so on the seven buses and two charter flights organized by the club. Many others will complete a real odyssey by land and air, made difficult by the few connections in a city of just over 200,000 inhabitants. The limited capacity of the Philips Stadion (34,100 spectators) does not help either, which has prevented them from continuing to break all the records. 23% of the capacity will be Blaugrana, mostly young people and families. A very different audience from what is usually seen in the men’s football stands. “It’s a less toxic hobby and there are no sides,” explains Laia Gisbert, 19, one of the thousands of young people who will travel to Eindhoven. The profile of this Barça fan is mostly female, but mostly young. Àlex Matabosch is 23 years old and, like Gisbert, cheered on the team in Turin and will repeat in Eindhoven. “The staging of the female is quite different and I like that. It has a more carefree tone, there is not so much toxicity”, he agrees.
“I’ve also been to men’s finals and the profile that attracts the women’s is completely different. Apart from being very familiar, it is very welcoming”, explains Meritxell Ros, 35 years old. She is a teacher and emphasizes “the excitement that comes from going to the countryside with the little ones” thanks to the affordable tickets and the friendliest timetables. Something that has helped to expand the social mass: “The club has seen that by empowering women, it also empowers Barcelonaism”. Ros is part of the Penya Barcelonista de Mollet. Alexia Putellas used to buy croissants from her family’s patisserie as a child: “Alexia has become the icon of women’s sport, not just football. She is a reference for many girls who want to be like her”, she says.
There are many ways to approach the feminine. “We started going there for our daughter, now it’s a shared passion”, explains José Manuel Núñez, who after last year’s good experience will repeat with his wife and daughter: “In Turin the atmosphere was incredible. A very beautiful party, very healthy”. In the case of Matabosch, his first experience was against Bayern in 2017: “That game brought me closer to a reality that I did not know. The women’s side is not talked about as much and I saw that it was also great”. Different reasons for a diverse audience attracted by the purity of a sport not yet corrupted.
