The problem
was not the boast, which stands a good chance of being proved correct
when Barcelona take on Arsenal in the Paris final, but where he chose to
say it. Zapatero was talking to several thousand Socialists in the
Madrid suburb of Carabanchel. Those booing him were mostly supporters of
Real Madrid - bitter rivals of the prime minister's beloved Barcelona.
The jeers were not just about football, though. They were also a
reminder that the political relationship between Madrid and Barcelona -
or the region it sits in, Catalonia - has become Zapatero's biggest
headache.
FC
Barcelona, led by Brazilian star Ronaldinho, likes to claim it is 'more
than just a club': to some of its fans, it is a symbol of Catalonia.
'Barcelona is much more than a football club, and being a Barça
supporter means not just supporting the club,' the defender Oleguer
Presas explained recently. 'To defend Barça is to defend Catalonia.'
The right
back is a hero to fans, precisely because, in a team full of players
from Brazil, Holland and Cameroon, he is one of just a handful of
Catalan players. Oleguer is also part of a growing number of Catalans
who would like to see Catalonia recognised as a country in its own
right.