On August 4, Daegu FC is set to take on Spanish giants FC Barcelona in a highly anticipated friendly match at Daegu Stadium. Just days earlier, Barcelona thrilled fans with a 7-3 win over FC Seoul in a dramatic clash on July 31. The showdown in Daegu marks the final stop of Barça’s Asia tour before the team heads back to Spain.
The opportunity to play against a world-renowned big club in one’s own territory is precious. Although the Barcelona players skipped interviews, their skills were real. Yamin Yamali scored two goals in the first half against Seoul. The players who came on as substitutes also performed well. Ferran Torres added two more goals in the second half, leading the team to a decisive victory by four goals, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.
Now Barcelona faces the bottom team in K League 1, Daegu. Two hours before the match starts, Daegu Stadium is already occupied by overseas football fans dressed in Barcelona jerseys. Many fans wearing Barcelona jerseys were seen making their way to Daegu to watch the game from Dong-Daegu Station.
Traffic around Daegu Stadium is already paralyzed. It was not easy to access the stadium without using public transportation. Upon arrival at Daegu Stadium, thousands of Barcelona fans were visible. It felt as if one was in Spain.
An official Barcelona merchandise shop also opened in front of Daegu Stadium. The popular item, jerseys, are already sold out. T-shirts specially produced to commemorate the Asia tour have gained the most popularity. Scarves and eco bags symbolizing Barcelona were also in high demand. With an enormous number of fans gathered, most merchandise was on the brink of selling out.
Daegu Stadium is also quite far from downtown Daegu. There is the issue that there are no commercial areas nearby. Many fans satisfied their hunger at food trucks set up in front of the stadium, with lines stretching 20 to 30 minutes just to grab a snack, creating a truly crowded scene.
Foreign fans were noticeably present, prompting an attempt to conduct interviews. They were a group from Timor-Leste, a small country with a population of about 1.3 million, located between Australia and the Philippines. Korea has maintained a good relationship with Timor-Leste since 1999 when it sent the Sangnok Tree Force there.
Nassat noted, “I came from Timor-Leste. I’m currently employed in Korea and working here. I really love football and I’m a Barcelona fan. I took a vacation and came to Daegu after hearing that Barcelona was visiting.”
The ticket prices for this Barcelona friendly match reached up to 600,000 won. The cheapest seats were 80,000 won and 40,000 won. Nassat mentioned, “I booked a second-tier seat for 200,000 won because I wanted to create good memories with my friends. It’s a lot of money, but considering a trip to Spain, I think it’s not expensive. I hope Barcelona scores many goals and wins today. I like Lewandowski the most,” he said with a smile.
