This is a message from a Barça fan to all Celtic fans who are travelling to Barcelona for next week’s game. While the football fans in the city generally think you are all fantastic I should remind you that not everyone in the city is a football fan. The group you should be most aware of are the thieves.
Unfortunately, Barcelona does have a problem with thieves. In particular they target tourists, but the visitors they probably see as best pickings are football supporters from the UK. There is quite a simple logic to this: you will most likely drink a lot of alcohol and you will probably be carrying a fair amount of cash. There are three main types to watch out for.
First the type who comes up to you on the street saying something like “ah my friend, you like football, barça good, celtic good” or any similar inane crap. Do not let these people put their arm around you! It is not normal behaviour for the locals to try to hug strangers, they are almost certainly trying to rob you. Do not confuse this with people who you meet in the bars and have a drink with, they are probably genuine.
The second type to watch out for are the street prostitutes. Towards the bottom end of the Ramblas you may get women coming up to you offering sex, ok no problem there, but you have to be careful if they start grabbing your dick. Yes, I know it’s funny and you may not mind the idea of getting a free grope, but she may also be trying to pick your pocket, so beware.
The third type is the bag snatcher. It’s best not to have any valuables in a bag while you are out and about, and be careful if you put your bag down anywhere while you are eating/drinking. Also be careful on the metro and buses because there are thieves working them. I have no intention of making you all paranoid, it probably won’t happen, but the drunker you are the more likely you are to be targetted, especially if you are on your own.
I should also make a quick mention of the residents who live in the centre. They are unlikely to see you as any different from the Rangers fans. Their main concern will probably be trying to sleep while you are singing under their window at three o’clock in the morning. I’m not going to tell you not to drink or to sing, of course, but just to remember that there are people living in most of the buildings in the centre, so if someone is shouting at you from their balcony to show them some respect.
Due to a lot of complaints from the locals about the leniency of the police with the Rangers fans I’m not really sure how the police will behave. They are generally quite lenient in Barcelona and are very unlikely to get nasty unless they are severely provoked. I would say that if they do turn up dressed up in their riot gear, the best thing is to move on.
I know a lot of you will have been in Barcelona for the games in 2004 and probably know how things work here. This message is just intended to avoid any possible problems, especially with the thieves. I hope you all have a fantastic time in the city and we see another great match.
Oh, and please don’t ask me for tickets because I’m afraid I can’t get you any.
29 responses so far ↓
Blaugrana // Feb 28, 2008 at 19:17
And i thot barcelona was a nice quiet town
Peter // Feb 28, 2008 at 19:44
Thanks for the warnings. I will be making my way to Barcelona in the early hours of Monday morning and can’t wait to get there! I’m sure the Celtic supporters will drink a lot(AND I MEAN A LOT!LOL) of alcohol but I think the people of Barcelona will see the difference between CELTIC and you know who.
Taras // Feb 28, 2008 at 20:25
Nic, I have been to Barcelona for the Rangers match. I knew that there would be some thieves, but I haven’t been robbed. I’m surprised because I dropped my bag many times, but locals were just picking it up and giving it to me. I was also wandering around the city looking around but nobody stole my bag. And I saw no prostitutes!
Nic // Feb 28, 2008 at 20:42
Taras - I am in no way saying that everyone is going to be robbed. The locals, like anywhere, are generally good, honest people. But the thieves that do exist will be looking at next week as a big pay day. Quite a few Rangers fans complained about it, and believe me it will happen to some Celtic fans.
As for the prostitutes you were obviously in a more respectable part of town
Taras // Feb 28, 2008 at 21:08
No, Nic, my hotel was just 2 minutes walking from Ramblas.
Taras // Feb 28, 2008 at 21:33
And the city was just awesome!!! I loved all the Gaudi houses and other places!
And comparing to Moscow in winter it was just heaven! Guys, I hope you will visit Moscow for the Champions League final so I will also tell you something about the city. FIRST you MUST beware of drunk and VERY DRUNK people who can just start fighting on the street. SECOND is that the city is just unbelievably dirty and you MUST beware of dog poo waiting for you to step on it. THIRD is for guys with black or brown skin because Russia is a racist country with many racist guys. Our prostitutes don’t steal things so if you need to know where you can get them- just tell me! 
Michael McDonald // Feb 29, 2008 at 0:09
Sound Advice Nic, I was living in Barcelona for six months last year and it is true about the thieves. I suppose because I look like a foreigner and was a wee bit drunk I was targetted a couple of times late at night. The locals on the otherhand are fantastic.
pep // Feb 29, 2008 at 9:53
I didn’t know about those prostitutes either, better not ask were you hang out, Nic… I can add three (more organized) types actually.
Fourth type: the ones playing street games, like “guess under which cup the little ball is now”, although you will know under which cup the ball is, don’t get your wallet out, since then they know where it is and will try to steal it later on.
Fifth type: the group mobbing, one second a guy asks you for a cigaret and a second later you’re surrounded by a group of ten asking you for money.
Sixth type: the ones dropping a coin at the end of the moving stairway in the metro and then blocking everyone that comes behind which gives others the chance (in the chaos) to pick your pockets.
Nevertheless: if you don’t show your money too openly, you’ll probably have no problems at all and you’ll have a great stay in an incredible city.
joan amenos // Feb 29, 2008 at 12:01
Good advice, Nic. Yes, be careful on the metro and buses and in the bars. Fans must not show bags without control. Nevertheless, you will see that people are walking normally across the city and streets, metro and buses are busy.So, actually the majority of streets are secure. Nic is right about the warning at bottom end of the Ramblas. Be careful in that zone.
Normally, locals thing that “Eixample” (at north of Plaça Catalunya, with an important building of Gaudí and others modernist architects) is securer than Rambla. Perhaps it’s true and you could walk in a large and opened street.
I’m sure that majority of Celtic fans will haven’t any problem.
Another piece of advice: perhaps you will see security guardians in some wagons of metro (perhaps with an auxiliary dog). It’s another protection for you.
swizz // Feb 29, 2008 at 17:42
Thank you for good advice. I really hope we have a trouble free visit after the problems the “forces of darkness” caused. There is a great deal of mutual respect between Barca and ‘Tic fans, two great teams with great history and two great sets of supporters. If we fail to turn the tie around (don’t write us off) then I sincerly hope you go on to win the trophy.
Rafael // Mar 1, 2008 at 2:30
I want to visit Barcelona!
Futbol first, location second.. maybe women third? hahaha.
barcabear, // Mar 3, 2008 at 0:16
I was in Barcelona for the Rangers game and hundreds of Rangers fans got mugged or robbed by these scumbags.
We had a great time and we have been slaughtered for leaving a few bits of paper and a few empty cans around.The truth is the authorities never prepared properly.
Swizz why the dig at the Rangers fans?What trouble did we cause?
Your slabbering over every team you meet is vomit inducing.I hope you’re still holding hands with the guy next to you when they hump you again.
Good luck Barca.
Taras // Mar 3, 2008 at 16:03
barcabear- I have also been to the Rangers game in Barcelona, but I have been in this city to walk around also. It’s a great, beautiful place but Rangers fans caused big damage to the town and they ruined the whole trip!!! Hope Celtic fans will be Much better than your fans!
barcabear, // Mar 3, 2008 at 17:02
What damage did we cause?A few bits of paper and some empty beer cans.
Barcelona would indeed be a beautiful place if it was policed properly.The thieves and pickpockets seem to be allowed to return night after night to commit the same crimes at the same place they did the night before.The Barca fans were well looked after by Rangers FC when the came to Glasgow.Sadly the same can’t be said of your own club who quite happily sold tickets to local touts only for them told be sold at ten times the face value.
Taras // Mar 3, 2008 at 20:35
The thieves ARE NOT football fans, they are just locals. But it was disgusting to walk around the city after Rangers fans peed on the streets and left all that garbage.
barcabear, // Mar 3, 2008 at 21:42
I’m informed that your own fans weren’t angels outside Celtic park and had a pee where they liked.
I hope you can come on in a few days and give an honest report on the Celtic fans behaviour.
barcabear, // Mar 3, 2008 at 22:27
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=hJG7m33MrS0
Taras // Mar 4, 2008 at 13:04
I hope I could come but I live in Moscow.
Taras // Mar 5, 2008 at 19:33
Barcabear- as this blog says Celtic fans were good unlike yours.
barcabear, // Mar 5, 2008 at 19:54
Rangers-25,000 and no arrests.
Celtic- 10,000 two arrests.
Taras // Mar 5, 2008 at 21:20
About arrests- when Rangers visited Barcelona police wasn’t warned about Rangers fans because they didn’t know how would they behave. After your fans visited Barcelona police was everywhere because they thought that Celtic fans would be the same as yours.
barcabear, // Mar 6, 2008 at 13:30
From 4-4-2 magazine, a decent level headed article.
Bhoys fans benefit from Rangers’ visit to Catalonia
Wednesday 05 March 2008 14:43
Every metro station in Barcelona carries several illuminated posters advertising Manchester. It’s part of an airline promotion and a fine-looking shot of the city makes it look more Lisbon than Lowry in an attempt to persuade Catalans to visit.
Barca fans wouldn’t need any such inducement to go there if their team is paired with Manchester United in Friday’s Champions League quarter-final draw.
Barcelona is just recovering from its invasion by Celtic supporters. Unlike the 21,000 Rangers travelling fans in Catalonia last November, the 12,000 who came to cheer on Celtic have received positive media coverage, despite there being little discernible difference in their behaviour.
What changed is that Celtic fans benefited from Rangers visit. The Catalan authorities were not ready for the number of Rangers supporters who constituted the largest ever following in a European away game for a British club in a non-final match. Rangers fans were short changed by authorities happy to take their money, but unwilling to provide the infrastructure their presence required.
Rangers fans were criticised for urinating in the square at Placa Catalunya. Celtic fans weren’t because scores of portable toilets had been installed.
Unsurprisingly, the numerous Irish bars in Barcelona either closed or employed heavy security for the visit of Rangers. For Celtic fans they issued commemorative t-shirts and stuck up posters of Jimmy Johnstone. A special fan zone was created for the Celtic contingent outside the city centre; Rangers fans faced lines of nervous police.
There were many ironic scenes, such as ‘dangerous’ protestant Rangers fans singing sectarian songs in those Irish bars which did stay open, while ‘friendly’ Celtic fans loudly eulogised the IRA in those same bars months later – not that the Catalans, who view noisy inebriation as weakness and not a virtue, were aware of the nuances of fan culture. Well, apart from those who unfurled a giant Irish tricolour to agitate the Rangers fans.
The sheer size of the travelling support from both clubs was impressive and far, far in excess of what Barca took to either Celtic Park or Ibrox - Barca needed only one plane to Glasgow; Rangers fans arrived on 97 flights for the return game in Catalonia.
Their range of songs was comprehensive and flags from both sets of visiting Glaswegian fans impressive. And given the sheer numbers of visiting fans, both games passed with few arrests and plenty of comic stories. Like the two Celtic fans negotiating with a Catalan tout for tickets. He cheekily asked for €200 a ticket and the alcohol fuelled pair thought about it and came back with their offer…€195.
Not since Alan Partridge bid £324,000 for a house on the market for £325,000 – and whose main selling point was “a Buck Rogers toilet” - has a vendor been so willing.
Taras // Mar 6, 2008 at 14:54
Barcabear:
I wasn’t in the city for Celtic game, so I just follow comments on this blog and everybody says that Celtic fans behaved much better.
barcabear, // Mar 6, 2008 at 23:04
What a good week it’s been for football.
LOL.
barcabear, // Mar 7, 2008 at 4:04
60 arrests GIRUY.
FYCYNWA.
HAHA.
barcabear, // Mar 7, 2008 at 4:14
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Enviar Imprimir Artículo 4 de 12 en Barcelona « Anterior - Siguiente »Multan a 60 seguidores del Celtic por inflingir la ordenanza cívica
20MINUTOS.ES. 05.03.2008
Ampliar fotoUn par de aficionados del Cetlic beben cerveza en las Ramblas de Barcelona. Por beber alcohol y pedir los servicios de prostitutas en plena calle.
La mitad de sanciones fueron abonadas al instante.
Se les requisaron 20.000 latas de cerveza.
Minuteca todo sobre: Barça
Unos 60 seguidores de los 15.000 seguidores del Celtic de Glasgow llegados a Barcelona para ver a su equipo frente al fueron sancionados ayer martes por inflingir la ordenanza cívica de la ciudad que prohibe, entre otras cosas, el consumo de bebidas alcohólicas en la vía pública.
Los seguidores fueron sancionados por beber alcohol y queres contratar prostitutas en plena calleTambién fueron sancionados por pedir los servicios de prostitutas en plena calle, especialmente en las Ramblas.
Los seguidores habían sido informados de estas prohibiciones mediante anuncios en la revista de su club y en la prensa escocesa. En la anterior visita a barcelona de aficionados extranjeros -los del Stuttgart- se multaron a casi el triple de seguidores: 174.
La mitad de sanciones impuestas por beber alcohol, con un valor de entre 30 y 100 euros, fueron abonadas al momento.
También se les fue incautadas 20.000 latas de cerveza y 2.100 ‘litronas’ según informó el ayuntamieto de Barcelona.
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barcabear, // Mar 7, 2008 at 4:32
End…………………..
Taras // Mar 7, 2008 at 12:30
I don’t speak spanish.
Nic // Mar 7, 2008 at 13:05
If anyone apart from Taras and Barcabear are still reading or interested this is the link Barcabear was trying to post -
http://www.20minutos.es/noticia/357656/0/sanciones/celtic/ordenanza/
I think Barcabear is right to criticise the barcelona council for the lack of preparation for the Rangers visit. Things were organized much better for Celtic’s visit. On the other hand the Celtic fans being fined for drinking in the street was also a result of the public’s reaction to the Rangers visit and does not indicate particularly poor behaviour on the Celtic fans’ part. It was probably always going to be that Celtic left a better impression as the clubs have such a good relationship. I suppose you could compare the behaviour of the fans from Celtic and Rangers if they went to visit the pope, I imagine it would also indicate Celtic were better behaved. By the way the 4-4-2 article is pretty biased if you ask me.
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