Pre-seaon Benchclearing

It used to be what separated professionals from amateurs. It was what separated coaches from players. The recent soccer match between Barcelona and Real Madrid blurred the lines with their petty brawl and coaching scuffle. To its credit, it solidified a rivalry that has and will last for generations. Nonetheless, it was a disgrace for the sport.

Soccer is a gentleman’s game played by hooligans, or so the saying goes. While the hooligans are typically the fans, go to any amateur game in the city and ask any referee how often he refs a game that ends with punches, threats, or benches being cleared after a nasty tackle. The frequency will shock you. In fact, the lower the quality, the more fights occur it seems. This is why fans are so surprised at the brawl that took place this past Wednesday in Spain.

While Barcelona lifted the Supercopa trophy after a 5-4 aggregate win over rivals Real Madrid, both teams know that the whole event a pre-season tournament before the league starts up this weekend. Both teams are two of the richest and most successful clubs in the world, and both coaches have won every major trophy in their illustrious careers. In spite of all this, in the final minutes before the whistle blew to crown Barcelona the victors, Real Madrid’s Marcelo scissor tackled Barcelona newcomer Cesc Fabregas in a rather dirty display. Though Marcelo was shown the red card, the ensuing baseball-like bench clearing resulted in the pettiest of actions for Real Madrid’s coach, Jose Mourinho. Amidst the fracas, Mourinho casually walked up behind a Barcelona assistant coach, and appeared to poke him in the eye in an attempt to pull his ear or something similarly stupid (watch the video anddetermine for yourself). As he walked away, he was then pushed in the head by the opposing coach. While Mourninho walked away and laughed off the whole incident, he brought his team down to a level that fans deserve to dislike.

Coach Mourinho said the Supercopa is a “tiny little title” and essentially said that he didn’t care if his team lost the game. That’s easy to say after you lose, but the actions amid the mini-brawl did not represent an unimportant game, for him or the players. He then went on to claim some absurd tactic done by the Barcelona ballboys on the sidelines. He may sound like a sore loser for a man that has won everything; others may like his passion for winning. No matter what, the fighting has to stop.

The actions may lead to animosity off the field and Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is fully aware of such implications: "We must be careful, because one day we will cause harm, not on the field but off, and we're all a little responsible for this."

Indeed we are. If recreational games are leading to fights on a regular basis, and the animosity between opposing fans, players, and coaches at the professional intensifies, how are we promoting ‘the beautiful game’ or a beautiful city?