Fear and Loathing in La Liga: Think you know Barcelona and Real Madrid? Think again
At the risk of sounding foolish, a couple of weeks ago I would have claimed to possess an above average knowledge of Barcelona and Real Madrid, probably presuming that there would be little left that could surprise me in the stories of these two clubs, so familiar with them I supposedly was. This week, Fear and Loathing in La Liga by Sid Lowe taught me a lesson.
Anyone interested in Spain's two biggest teams and their historical rivalry, whether a journalist, historian or simply a supporter, can learn something new from this labour of love. Book after book has been toiled over by the author, historical accounts sourced and then challenged, counter-accounts then sourced in turn. Important information that has either been ignored or simply forgotten about is brought to life. Notably, one gem surrounding the infamous Di Stefano case is brought to the surface, and may yet be looked back on in years to come as key to our understanding of such a definitive moment in the Barcelona/Madrid rivalry.
This is where Lowe’s background as an academic comes to the fore. Opinions are contested with relevant historical evidence, sources are taken in context rather than isolation, and conclusions are never given as fact, as is so unfortunately the case in books dealing with the history of these two clubs in particular. Some of the information presented here is a revelation, one story that stands out is that of Real Madrid’s Republican president, largely forgotten from their history in the years since, whose defiance until the last as Franco’s troops closed in on the capital city provides a particularly emotional moment. Chapters like that one in particular force us to re-think what we thought we knew about Real Madrid as an institution.
If Lowe’s background in academia is an asset, equally so is his unrivalled access as a journalist. Wherever possible, individuals that were actually involved in the incidents, games or campaigns in question are spoken to. Interviewees range from Galacticos or Dream Team players to the last surviving members of teams from decades long gone. In the case of the latter, Lowe provides a voice for those that understand Barcelona and Madrid in the post-Civil War era better than anyone: the players, board members and workers that were actually there to see it first hand.
Even a look at the list of acknowledgements reflects well on the book. Amongst those thanked is a who’s who of the finest writers on La Liga around. The author’s ability to call upon the individual knowledge of specialist writers is unrivalled, those whose understanding of these two clubs has been refined through years of hard work. Lowe is never reluctant to look for a second opinion from his contemporaries, and that should be commended. It’s easy to understand why it took several years to put the book together, so wide is the list of resources tapped.
Yet perhaps most importantly for the average reader, Fear and Loathing in La Liga is also easily consumable. Anyone familiar with Lowe’s work in the Guardian will recognise his ability to tell a story. Constructing a recognisable narrative out of a text of this nature isn’t easy, but it is to the author’s credit that the chapters read better together than in isolation, avoiding drifting into the territory of presenting nothing more than a collection of individual articles. It would have been easy to fall into that trap with a book covering such a tricky subject and wide time span.
The commercial power of Barcelona and Real Madrid, with their reach extending far beyond Spain, means that the number of books on the two teams is growing exponentially, and it is startling how many of those texts play dangerously with presenting opinions as fact. The truth is, researching the history of these two clubs remains an immense challenge, despite Spain’s contemporary status as a modern democracy where such institutions should, in theory, be transparent. Often, books on the Barcelona/Madrid rivalry don’t bother to face that challenge at all, instead preferring to follow the easy, familiar narratives of good and bad, no doubt selling a few copies along the way, yet as a result bringing nothing new to the table. Fortunately, Sid Lowe’s triumph in Fear and Loathing in La Liga is opting for the exact opposite; tackling tricky subjects with skill and weaving them into an engaging story. For that, this book stands out from the rest.