Fear and Loathing in La Liga :Barcelona vs Real Madrid
Fear and Loathing in La Liga :Barcelona vs Real Madrid
paperback
Published:
7 August, 2014
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Description
‘A history of modern Spain told through one of world football's most intense rivalries’ Independent
‘Sports Book of the Year’ Sunday Times
It’s Messi vs Ronaldo, it’s Catalonia vs Castilla. It’s the nation against the state, freedom fighters vs Franco’s fascists. It’s majestic goals and mesmerising skills, red cards and bench brawls. It’s the best two teams on the planet going face to face and toe to toe.
It’s more than a game. It’s a war.
It’s Barcelona vs Real Madrid.
Only, it’s not that simple. From the wounds left by the civil war to the teams’ recent global domination, historian and expert on Spanish football, Sid Lowe lifts the lid on sport’s greatest rivalry. Lowe has spoken to the biggest names and the forgotten heroes who defined their clubs. Men like Alfredo Di Stéfano and Johan Cruyff as well as the only survivor of the most politically charged game in history, the Barcelona striker who knocked Madrid out of the European Cup for the first time ever, and the president who celebrated his club’s defining moment by taking a midnight dip in the Thames.
By exploring the history, politics, culture, economics and language, while never forgetting the drama on the pitch, Lowe demonstrates the symbiotic nature of the relationship between these two football giants. In doing so he reveals the human story behind this explosive rivalry.
Prizes
Short-listed for British Sports Book Publishing Awards 2014 (UK),Long-listed for William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2013 (UK)
More Details
| Type | Book |
|---|---|
| ISBN13 | 9780224091800 |
| ISBN10 | 0224091808 |
| Number Of Pages | 448 |
| Item Weight | 322 g |
| Product Dimensions | 130 x 198 x 29 mm |
| Publisher / Reseller | Vintage Publishing |
| Format | paperback |
Media Reviews
One of the year’s best football books … an extremely well-informed and usefully myth-busting portrait * Guardian *
Fascinating * Sunday Independent *
Sports Book of the Year * Sunday Times *
Football Books of the Year: Sid Lowe isn’t an ordinary football writer and, as a result, this is not an ordinary football book. Lowe paces it all so well ... like an engaging lesson from your favourite teacher * Daily Mirror *
A revelation. Anyone interested in Spain's two biggest teams can learn something new from this labour of love ... tackling tricky subjects with skill and weaving them into an engaging story. For that, this book stands out from the rest. * talksport.com *
Lowe is a man with deep knowledge. He is a proper researcher. His list of interviewees – from Di Stéfano to Beckham – is a Who's Who of six decades of football. And his re-runs of past epic matches make you seek out grainy YouTube videos. * Guardian *
Utterly brilliant -- Henry Winter * @henrywinter *
A history of modern Spain told through one of world football's most intense rivalries. It conjures up the complex passions of a country whose national team has become not only the best in the world at present, but, some say, the best ever -- Chris Maume * Independent *
Like so many of Spain's deep rifts, the enmity stems from the civil war. Barcelona represent the losers, democrats, Catalonia. Real Madrid represent the victors, repressors, Spain. Lowe's detailed study shows that the caricature is simplistic but not entirely incorrect -- Nick Pitt * The Sunday Times *
A work of profound research and stimulating discoveries… Lowe has done El Clasico a service by defining its history -- Hugh MacDonald * Herald *
GoodReads Reviews
Author's Bio
Sid Lowe is the Spanish football correspondent for the Guardian and World Soccer. He is a regular contributor to the popular Guardian Football Weekly podcast and writes for FourFourTwo. He works as a commentator and panellist for Spanish, Asian and US television and appears regularly on Spanish radio show Al Primer Toque. His previous book, Catholicism, War and the Foundation of Francoism, is about the causes of the Spanish civil war, the rise of fascism, and the creation of the Franco state. He lives in Spain.