Timothy wrote:
"More than a club" is a bit on the old glib side, no? In practical terms, in this day and age, what's makes Barcelona so special?
there's nothing tangible or practical that makes them special, but they are a symbol of Catalan pride, and symbols are powerful. Especially with a referendum on the way at the end of the year.
Barcelona FC will always be a powerful symbol, intrinsically linked with the Catalan nation, and the relatively recent resurgence of Catalan culture.
When Catalan was banned, when the flag was banned, when any outward expression of a Catalan identity was banned, supporting Barcelona was one of the few ways of expressing national pride. Same thing for Bilbao in the Basque country, they both represent powerful symbols of nationhood and cultural pride, they're both much more than mere football clubs. They were mediums for cultural resistance and defiance, representing the history, culture, and pride, of a nation.
