What the Spanish Press Said About FC Seoul and Daegu FC

For the Spanish press, any FC Barcelona match is a major event. After all, Barça is one of the most impactful clubs in the world. As you'd expect, Spanish journalists closely analyzed the two games the culé team played in South Korea against FC Seoul and Daegu FC. K League United contributor Borja Fernández highlights some of their comments.
(Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

The Match Against FC Seoul: Heat, "Lapses," and Cheers

(Photo by Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images)

Barça's first stop in Korea was the capital, where they won big against FC Seoul. It was clear the Catalan club was far superior, and most of the press comments focused on this dominance, as well as the intense heat and humidity of a Seoul summer. The overwhelming support from the Korean crowd for Barça and its players was also a big talking point. It's totally understandable that Spanish journalists wouldn't know the FC Seoul players, and the general consensus was that FC Seoul's goals came from several lapses by the Barcelona defense.

What would be worth highlighting is a piece from the outlet "Mundo Deportivo," written by editor Joan Poquí. Beyond the spelling of some names, what stood out was when he wrote "the modest Seoul." This isn't a criticism; it’s obvious that compared to Barça, FC Seoul is indeed a "modest" team. What was curious is that for fans of Korean football, FC Seoul is one of the country's giants and the one most capable of attracting international stars. Finally, what was perhaps most noteworthy about the article was the praise for Yazan Al-Arab's goal. Joan specifically highlighted the Jordanian center-back's power in a play that the defender will surely remember forever.

[READ: What did Hansi Flick say about Barca's Korea Tour?]

The Match Against Daegu FC: A Lack of Respect

(Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty Images)

Barça's final game in Korea was a 5-0 victory against Daegu. It’s true that Daegu FC wasn't at its best to face such a formidable team, but some people were maybe too harsh.

In today's world, social media is a huge part of football, and millions of users commented on this match. While some content creators celebrated Barça's performance, fans of other teams tried to "burst their bubble" by arguing that the opponent wasn't up to standard.

Some journalists also joined in this wave of criticism. For example, Ivan San Antonio from the newspaper “Sport” said even before the match that Daegu is "already relegated." After the game, he was the same journalist who compared the Korean team to "one of those amateur opponents that Cruyff would choose." 

There were also complaints about the weather, a "joke" or "pun" on a Daegu player's name, and then a little piece of wisdom might be of use to young people: If someone tells you they don't want to disrespect you, and then adds a "but," get ready—they're about to disrespect you. Ivan claimed it was "not a lack of respect," but in the same paragraph, he repeated that Daegu was already relegated and that it was "two different sports."

Of course, not all media outlets followed this negative tone. Others simply pointed out the obvious difference in quality and focused on analyzing Barça's performance, which is what their audience is really interested in.

by Borja Fernández

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