I'd Like to See Real Madrid Play in Person...

[Lawmill]

Here's the deal:

I embark a week from today on a two month rail trip through Europe.

One of my main wishes for this trip is to see my beloved Merengues play, preferably at the Bernabeu.

-I would prefer to attend in October, when I will be traveling through Spain. But,I have an unlimited railpass, so traveling to Spain just for this game would be possible.

-I will be visiting Madrid in October anyway, to see the Bernabeu and do other stuff.

-I would prefer to see them play in Madrid, but barring that would be happy to go to an away match, either CL or the league. Nowhere in Europe is too far away. Regardless, I would really like to see all of the stars in action.

-I speak enough Spanish to get through the small areas of Spain ok.

-Ticket price is not really a consideration.

So locals, what do you recommend?

[minuscapita]

Mee too...
I was really young when i saw RM play !
I think I was 5-6 years old :-( I wish i was you!
I am broke as hell.
Have fun and keeps updated.

[dmar]

Real Madrid has a phone number for reserving tickets... if I remember correctly is 902-324-324. I think you can reserve asbout one week before.
It is easier -and cheaper, 3-9 €- to get tickets for a Cup game , but this are not held in Bernabeu until December or so, 'cause the first ties are one game and in the lower division's club pitch.
I hope this is useful. If you have any other questions , ask please!

[Lawmill]

I suppose I could reserve tickets, but I'm not sure when I'll be in Madrid. Would it be possible to be tickets a few days before a game against one of the lesser teams or to buy it from a vendor outside the stadium?

For some reason, I am having trouble finding the match schedule right now.

Going to a Champions' League match, even in somewhere like Hungary or Greece, is certainly a possibility.

I'd be willing to pay up to about £35 for a league or CL match in the Bernabeu. This is, for me, something that I probably won't be able to do for at least another decade, or at least before Zizou, Carlos, and Figo are gone.

[DragonFly]

Ok, I'm doing this from my dumb mind, so
maybe I'll be wrong... I was in Madrid last
year, and went to about 5 games at Bernabeu.

You can either phone up (don't remember
the number)... or you can go to Bernabeu
to buy the tickets.

Here's the catch: The tickets (iirc) don't
go on sale until wed or thurs before the
weekend game. (i think the latter is what
it is, but it sometimes changes). At least
last year, the ticket gates at the stadium
didn't actually open up till 3pm. But,
depending upon the game, lines started
up to 2+ hours before. (Note: for a big
game, all tickets are sold out for
outsiders, you need to scalp or be a
"socio", a season ticket holder/member).

If you head up to Bernabeu (on the #10 dark
blue line to Bernabeu) on the south-east corner
is where the ticket office is, and where there's
an electronic billboard outside telling you when
the tickets are sold (day and time). If you're in
Madrid beforehand, head up there and find
out what time the tix sales starts (or you can
prolly call).

You can only buy 4 tickets at one time, 6
if it's Copa de Rey (dunno bout CL). I always
had to pay cash, but I do think they do
take only one type of Credit Card (sorry,
don't remember if it's visa or MC). Inside
the gate on the right is a listing of what
levels and sides of the stadiums go
for what amount (and it changes depending
upon what team RM is playing). So If you're
waiting in line, get someone to hold your
place and head up to the rt. side of the gate
and try to get a glimpse inside at the prices.
Once you're inside (they let about 20 people
thru the gate at a time), there is usually
one line that had an English speaker. (think
it was the left end, but dunno this yr.).
I never did it, but if you can speak spanish well
enough, I think the ticket office via phone opens
up at 10am that same day the tickets go on sale.
Again, iirc, the CL games were less $$, and
you should have no real problems at this stage
getting CL tickets. None of the first few round
CL games were sold out (but it might be dif.
this yr. Against the *better* La Liga teams,
you may/will have a problem, I did, even
last Nov on.

Also, the Lateral side is not under a roof, but
the other side is (and more expensive,
preferencia). For economic reasons, I always
chanced it and sat in Lateral. It does rain a bunch
in Madrid in the late fall/winter/early spring, so
keep it in mind.

There's not really a bad seat in Bernabeu, but
you can sit somewhat high up (you'll have a
great birdseye view of the action, but may not
be able to see who is who).

Getting to the game early is also tons of fun.
They close down the street on the south end
of the stadia, and the streets jutting out
perpendicular to the South are full of bars
for copas and tapas. It usually gets going about
1.5 hrs before game time (more or less).
They'll set off a bunch of what feels like (and
sounds like) compression bombs, but there's
really not much violence. (After a game between
RM fans, yeah, I saw a few times, but you'll
be fine).

I have a contact to an intl scalper, but you'll pay
thru the nose. But if your a fatty, and want to
go to RM v Barca, I can get you a quote (and
I'll promise you you won't like it).

Keep in mind that there are something like
100k socios, who get first choice on tix. So
obviously, 4 the big games it's difficult any way
to get a ticket.

I'm sure locals will correct me, but that's what
I remember (likely somewhat incorrectly).

Hope this was more helpful than confusing...

-- Colin

[Sinko]

Lawmill,

Spoken by one who is currently stuck in corporate HELL, I have to express my profound envy at your upcoming two months of Eurail freedom. I've been around Western Europe on trains several times, so if my own experience is anything to judge upon, you'll have an amazing time. Tip: Don't stay in one place for too long, and try to make it to the farthest distances possible. I'm talking the four corners method... British Isles (and Eire) to Greece to Scandanavia to Iberia. Whatever you do, don't miss Lagos, Portugal on the Algarve coast.

As per seeing Madrid play, you'll be able to plan using this schedule of matches (http://www.marca.com/futbol/calendario_liga0203/primera_vuelta1.html).

Getting tickets at the stadium isn't hard. Since money is no object, you'd more than likely be able to walk up to the window for them. Scalpers are always a viable option.

But with your Eurail pass, you can go see matches in other cities. What I wouldn't give to be able to see teams like Athletic Bilbao, Depor, Vigo, and Betis play home matches. Even Xerex. Each of these teams is in an area worthy of tourism. Your choice.

[Lawmill]

Thank you all very much for your help. I'm not rich (still a teenager), but this is a once in a lifetime thing, so I'm not going to fret over a few Euros.

I really appreciate all the information on tickets and seating. There is no way for me to find mos tof that information in the US!

I was planning on doing sort of a clockwise circuit through Europe. Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, ?Norway?, Poland, Czech Rep, Hungary, Turkye, Greece, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and then France. Hopefully, I'll be in Spain by the beginning of October. I may spend that whole month in Iberia, then TGV it up to De Gaulle for the flight back.

It looks as though I will miss most of the big Real matches, so tickets probably won't be a problem. Are there any teams like San Jose, great squad but lots of empty seats, in La Liga? Something like Bilbao v Barca on 15 Sep is quite tempting.


1 Sep

Real Madrid -- Espanyol
Deportivo -- Betis

15 Sep (day after I turn 20!)

Betis -- Real Madrid
Athletic -- Barcelona

22 Sep

Real Madrid -- Osasuna
Barcelona -- Espanyol

29 Sep

Valladolid -- Real Madrid
Betis -- Barcelona
Alavés -- Deportivo

6 Oct

Real Madrid -- Alavés
Valencia -- Celta

20 Oct

Racing -- Real Madrid

[dmar]

DragonFly has described it quite well... but I think there are just 60k "socios", fortunately for Lawmill.

Lawmill- I don't think there's something like San Jose in Spain... the country is crazy about soccer. If you go to see Real Madrid against one of the least important teams, try in Bernabeu. In Santander, for example, the stadium crowds when Madrid goes there, that just happens once a year and there are a lot of Madrid fans there. I think it will be easier and cheaper the other way. I don't think the stadium is full against the likes of Ferencvaros, Anderlecht or Grashoppers.

By the way, you'll have to hurry a lot to see the 15 countries you mention in two months by rail. And remember that if you have non-soccer related questions about Spain I will be pleased to anwser.

[Pichi]

Originally posted by Lawmill

It looks as though I will miss most of the big Real matches, so tickets probably won't be a problem. Are there any teams like San Jose, great squad but lots of empty seats, in La Liga? Something like Bilbao v Barca on 15 Sep is quite tempting.


1 Sep

Real Madrid -- Espanyol
Deportivo -- Betis

15 Sep (day after I turn 20!)

Betis -- Real Madrid
Athletic -- Barcelona

22 Sep

Real Madrid -- Osasuna
Barcelona -- Espanyol

29 Sep

Valladolid -- Real Madrid
Betis -- Barcelona
Alavés -- Deportivo

6 Oct

Real Madrid -- Alavés
Valencia -- Celta

20 Oct

Racing -- Real Madrid


You will have a better chance of seeing Real Madrid play at home then on the road. It's like the Cubs, it's easier to get a ticket to see them at Wrigley than it is to see them at Pac Bell! I can already tell you that the both Betis home matches that you list will be sold out. Most teams are like the Quakes. They rarely sell out unless the big boys come to town, and on top of that when the big boys do come to town the seat prices go up. That is something totally unheard of over here. It would be like when the Galaxy scum play at Spartan your $10 rumble seat would now cost $15. The teams use that price gouging for two reasons. 1) To get people to buy season tickets and avoid paying more to see these big games, so they can get the cash flow in advance. 2) To make as much money as possible for those 2-3 big games at home each year, knowing that the stadium will be full with home team fans and in Betis's case the Real Madrid fans and Barca fans who live in Sevilla or who want to see Zidane, Figo, Saviola etc play live.

22 Sept and 6 Oct. are your best bets to see Madrid. If you want to see Betis, PM me since I can possibly get you a ticket but it will cost you a couple of Sam Adams at Spartan as a form of repayment! ;>)

Saludos y Viva Er EuroBeti Manque Alfonso y Lopera!

Pichi

[MadridForever]

As dmar said the Real Madrid has 65K members(socios), but the problem is that the team also have more than 100k peñistas (suppoters clubs members) and more than 40K with the madridista's card and all those people have preference to buy tickets.

Anyway you won't have problems to buy ticket for la liga games in setember or october. The last year, the 90% "la liga" games were sold out but except for the big games and a few more you had tickets to buy the day of the game.

In my opinion the best games in september/october would be:

Real Madrid - Alaves. This will be a very competitive game. The Alaves is a very good team
defensively very hard to win.

Real Madrid - Valladolid. Traditionally a game with many goals.

Other game could be the game against the other "big team" in the CL first round (Last year the Rome). This game would be my first choice if the team was of the same level of the Rome (I don't know against which big teams we could play this year in the first round).

[Lawmill]

By the way, you'll have to hurry a lot to see the 15 countries you mention in two months by rail. And remember that if you have non-soccer related questions about Spain I will be pleased to anwser.
Thank you. I am planning to go through the northern countries very quickly, in a week or two. We will see how things go.

I've been to Catalunya before and thought that was quite nice, so I am planning on spending a lot of time in Spain. As my arrival in Iberia gets closer, I will most likely have some questions for you.

22 Sept and 6 Oct. are your best bets to see Madrid. If you want to see Betis, PM me since I can possibly get you a ticket but it will cost you a couple of Sam Adams at Spartan as a form of repayment! ;> )
I will have to see how my schedule works out. If we still have the Earthquakes next year, I'm sure something could be arranged, although I will not be 21 until next September.

Real Madrid - Alaves. This will be a very competitive game. The Alaves is a very good team
defensively very hard to win.

Real Madrid - Valladolid. Traditionally a game with many goals.
These are also the games that will be played when I am in the south, so that is good. In the massive break between the 6th and the 20th, will there still be cup and European games?

Thank you all for your help!!!