Following the devastating flash floods in Valencia, the continuation of La Liga games has been called into question. Whilst fixtures taking place in and around Valencia such as Villarreal’s game against Rayo Vallecano have been postponed, there is also discussion about whether any of La Liga should be continuing so soon after the disaster.
Carlo Ancelotti’s comments in particular stand out; speaking as the manager of Real Madrid (a club whose region has not been directly affected by the floods), his statement may seem surprising. Yet his point – that all of La Liga football should be paused due to the immense damage wrought by the floods – comes from a key belief in the social role that football holds.
He argues that “football is a party and you can only celebrate and party when you, your family and everybody is well”, highlighting not only the lack of respect evoked by La Liga’s continuation but the growing gulf between professional sporting clubs and the communities they represent.
The counterargument – that football can unite those who have suffered through the floods –cannot help but seem equivocal in an age where football (especially that of La Liga) brings in such a huge amount of money and charges its fans so much for tickets. The immense wealth of top-tier football clubs – which are now quite transparently businesses – is revealing how great the disconnect between club and city can become. In this context, the claim that football exists to bring people together in times of adversity appears both patronising and out of touch.
Ancelotti’s labelling of football as “the most important of the least important things in life” may at first seem disparaging; yet it promotes an ideal of football that is actually in-touch with the world, and one which is responsive to and considerate of its fans.
“CAMP DE MESTALLA GRADA DE LA MAR 2014” by Valencia CF is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.