There can be little question that FC Barcelona is among the top football clubs in the world and so any genuine football fan should pay at least one visit in their life to see them playing at home at the Nou Camp.
The club is often known simply as Barça, Spanish league matches at the Nou Camp are massively popular among tourists visiting the city for the weekend. The rise in popularity of Barcelona as a short stay destination has resulted from super-cheap flights from EasyJet and Ryanair amongst others. When Joan Laporta took over as club president Barça had been experiencing a few lean years, however the renaissance under Laporta meant that within a few seasons attendance skyrocketed.
Although Laporta had fallen out with him during his tenure as president, Sandro Rossell has successfully taken over as president and retaining Pep Guardiola as coach his first season has been nothing short of spectacular. Guardiola is an ex-Barça player and took over the position from Frank Rijkaard when he was sacked after a dismal season.
Faces often change in football, as Ronaldinho and Samuel Eto'o show, both of whom experienced successful careers at Barcelona before moving on. One of the big highlights of the last few years has been the growth of Lionel Messi as a player, brought up through the ranks of the youth club and now one of the best players in the world, . Other core players include goalkeeper Victor Valdes, captain Carles Puyol, Xavi, and Iniesta.
While attendance figures were at one point low, even the current economic crisis can't prevent fans from seeing the current team live, which is why you should book your FC Barcelona tickets in advance, and their passion is infectious. If the visiting team is Real Madrid then that passion is displayed at full force, venting Catalonia's longstanding feud with Madrid .
The stadium can hold just short of 100,000 spectators and when the stadium is full the roar of the crowd can deafen. Football in Spain is often treated as a family event, so you'll find people of all ages attending matches including family outings with grandparents and grandchildren.
Whether Barça win, lose or draw is always important, but if Messi is playing the final result can sometimes become secondary. The crowd loves the young player and his modest demeanour is a long way from the brashness shown by some players.
If you're unlucky enough to visit Barcelona off-season, or on a weekend when FC Barcelona is laying away, remember that the Nou Camp is worth a visit as an experience in itself. Although most football fans will want to see the stadium full of fans with the squad on the pitch the Barça museum is the most popular in Catalonia, with more visitors than the Picasso Museum in Barcelona and the Salvador Dali Museum in Figueres.
On display in the museum are the team's trophies as well as photographs and other documents relating to FC Barcelona. You can also take the stadium tour and visit the tunnel and the director's area.
So next time you're in Barcelona how can you call yourself a sports fan and not pay homage to one of the greatest football teams on Earth? Order your FC Barcelona tickets online and make sure you see them when you're there.
