Category Archives: Spanish Sports
La Liga Finally Addressing Its History of Violence; Why Has It Taken So Long? Reply
Deportivo closed the stand usually occupied by the club’s ultras in the wake of the recent death of one of their fans in Madrid.
Phil Ball writes for Sport 360.com–I watched the Deportivo v Málaga game on Saturday night. It seemed the logical thing to do after the week’s events here in Spain, after the fall-out from last week’s incident in Madrid when a Deportivo supporter died after a mass brawl with Atlético Madrid ‘ultras’. It hasn’t been a good week for the Galician club, and things got worse on Saturday night when they lost 1-0 on a rainy evening, in a game that they probably deserved to win – but as the Spanish saying goes ‘A perro flaco todo son pulgas’ (All the skinny dog gets is fleas). Malaga’s keeper Carlos Kameni saved a penalty and generally stopped everything else thrown at him. Formerly in the shadow of Willy Caballlero after arriving in 2012 from Espanyol, he deserved a bit of the spotlight on Saturday night, although his saves were not quite as spectacular as the goal Sergi Darder hit first time from 30 metres, after Depor’s goalkeeper Fabricio kicked the ball out poorly from the area. Goal of the week, and just Deportivo’s luck. They huffed and puffed from then on, but never managed to blow Malaga and Kameni down.
Spain’s Real Madrid Drops Cross from Logo to Appease Gulf Sponsors Reply
The Real Madrid Football Club’s logo before and after alteration.
Spanish soccer heavyweight Real Madrid dropped the Christian cross affixed at the top of its official crest after signing a lucrative sponsorship deal with the National Bank of Abu Dhabi. At an unveiling ceremony in the Gulf emirate earlier this week, the club’s president, Florentino Perez, revealed a new credit card sponsored by the bank, which doubles as a Real Madrid club membership card. On the card, the club’s iconic “Los Blancos” badge is missing the cross atop its royal crown.
Its absence is seen as a gesture to placate Muslim fans in the region, according to Spanish sports daily Marca. Outside the U.A.E., the club crest has not been altered. Perez said the partnership with the Abu Dhabi bank symbolized for Real Madrid a “strategic alliance with one of the most prestigious institutions in the world.” Real Madrid, one of Europe’s most well-known and decorated soccer clubs, has a rich, deep history. It emerged after the horrors of the Spanish Civil War as the club of the establishment, unabashed by its monarchist pedigree and favored by the fascist dictator Francisco Franco.
Human Towers of Tarragona – In Pictures Reply
Team members climb over one another to add further layers to their tower during the 25th edition of the Contest Castells, which is held every two years.
The Guardian.com–The tradition of building human towers, or castells, dates back to the 18th century and takes place at festivals in Catalonia, where teams – ‘colles’ – compete to build the tallest and most complex towers.
A castell is considered successful when it is loaded and unloaded without falling apart. The highest castell on record was a 10 floor structure with three people in each floor.
La Liga: A Preview of Spain’s Top Soccer League Reply
Here’s up-to-date, comprehensive English-language coverage of the Spanish futbol league–from Elkhart, Indiana, USA!
Dustin George-Miller writes for the Elkhart Truth.com–The World Cup is “done and dusted,” as they say, but club football is just beginning in Europe and around the world. If you caught football fever this summer, there are lots of ways to keep scratching that itch. Earlier we previewed the English Premier League. This time, let’s head south and visit sunny Spain. When you think of Spanish football, you probably think of Barcelona and Real Madrid, two of the biggest, best and most important football clubs in the world. Honestly, you’re forgiven if those are the only two teams you can name from the Spanish league, since, with only a few rare exceptions, those are the only teams that matter.
James Rodriguez Unveiled to Huge Crowd Reply
SuperSport.com–Colombia’s World Cup revelation James Rodriguez was unveiled as Real Madrid’s latest headline signing in front of tens of thousands of fans at the Santiago Bernabeu on Tuesday. Rodriguez, the top scorer at the World Cup in Brazil, has moved to the European champions from Monaco on a six-season contract. Spanish media said Real paid about €80 million for the 23-year-old playmaker, which if correct would make him the fifth most expensive player in history after Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
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Uniform Threat to Women’s Beach Volleyball Reply
Mark Nolan writes for The Leader.info–A vocal fighter in the battle against drugs in sports, so much so she became the head of Spain´s anti-doping agency, Ana Muñoz, the Director General of Sports, presided over another battle this week, one which could change the face of a sporting genre forever. In a meeting on Thursday with Francisco Blázquez, the President of the Spanish Handball Federation, the question as to whether the sports kit worn by ladies participating in the beach based version of the sport was the hot topic of conversation, with the simple question, “Is it sexist?”
World Cup–Here’s What Happened Last Time Reply
¡Alegría! The Joy of Spanish Living 