FC Barcelona vs. Mallorca

Before coming to live in Barcelona, I was alway told that I could not live here for four months without attending one of the amazing FC Barcelona soccer games.  Not only was this an incredible cultural experience, but Barcelona is known to be one of the best teams in the world.   My jaw dropped as I first walked into the stadium.  I had never experienced something like this before.  The stands were filled with an overflow of screaming and cheering fans.  These fans, are not fans that you would ever find in the United States.  The passion that these fans have for their team makes the game incredibly exciting to watch.  Many of the fans were decked out in FC Barcelona apparel, from scarves to jerseys.  I was lucky that the first game that I was able to attend, I was fortunate enough to sit in the 10th row.  I was able to enjoy this experience up close and personal.
The game that I went to see was on April 6th, 2013 FC Barcelona vs. Mallorca, when my mom came to visit me here in Barcelona. When the game started, I felt like a huge adrenaline rush.  When they scored their first goal, the roar of the crowd amazed me.  The stands went crazy everyone jumping out of their seats with excitement.  For this game, Messi was actually injured, and they still beat the other team.  The goals were scored one after another after another.  While the game was happening, the entire stadium was doing the wave, going around at least 4-5 times completely. Many of the fans were holding onto Catalan flags to show their proudness for their favorite team and culture.
After going to this game, it has given me an appreciation for the sport of soccer.  Prior to this experience, it had been my least favorite sport.  Now I continuously follow the scores and statistics of each game and players.  I know that when I go home to the United States, my love for FC Barcelona will remain. My expectations for this game were incredibly high, but this is an experience that I will never forget.