Barcelona earned a staggering amount of money despite El Clasico defeat, says club’s marketing chief
FC Barcelona marketing vice president Juli Guiu shared that the club made an impressive €7.6 million from the first El Clasico of the season. This accomplishment is said to have set a new record for matches at Montjuic while surpassing the revenue from 60 percent of the matches held at Spotify Camp Nou.
Despite the game's outcome not meeting Barcelona's expectations, Guiu pointed out that from a monetary perspective, their goals were indeed met. The alliance with the iconic rock band 'The Rolling Stones' served as another avenue for financial prosperity.
During his appearance on the Tot Costa program on Catalunya Radio, Juli Guiu revealed (via OneFootball):
"We made €7.6 million from the Clasico, a record in Montjuic, a record figure that exceeds 60 percent of matches at the Spotify Camp Nou."
To put it into perspective, Guiu emphasized that earnings from Clasicos at Camp Nou only slightly surpassed €7.6 million. Given Montjuic's reduced seating capacity, this sum is notably commendable.
An interesting highlight of the El Clasico was Barcelona's tribute to 'The Rolling Stones'. The team donned kits inspired by the legendary band, showcasing the renowned 'Hot Lips' emblem. Speaking on the collaboration, Guiu explained:
"When we make this type of proposal, we want the best possible artists and we look very carefully at who and when to do it. We have to look for new groups and new experiences, but it has to be on specific dates."
Barcelona's unbeaten run broken by Real Madrid
Barcelona's pristine unbeaten start to the season met its demise with a 2-1 loss to arch-rivals Real Madrid in the season's first El Clasico showdown. The backdrop was set with Barca missing a few of their star players due to injuries.
Still, the Catalonian giants showcased dominance over Los Blancos for a good portion of the match. They produced a commendable performance for 90 minutes that many believe warranted a better outcome.
The match's momentum swayed in favor of Barca early on. A mere six minutes into the game, Ilkay Gundogan found the back of the net, marking the first goal of the match.
The Catalans seemed poised to control the entire match. However, the tides changed in the second half, thanks to Jude Bellingham's remarkable performance.
Displaying sheer brilliance, Bellingham launched a long-range attempt from 30 yards out. The ball's trajectory beat the stretched arms of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen and nestled into the top corner, levelling the scoreline.
It seemed like the match might end in a draw. But deep into the injury time, a lucky moment saw the ball fall impeccably for Bellingham, who didn't hesitate to capitalize. Scoring his second, he sealed the victory for Madrid and ended Barcelona's unbeaten run.