Sport is (and has been shown to be) one of the best vehicles available to mankind to promote unity and fraternity among different races, cultures and nationalities. This is only possible because sport is based on the values of respect, fairness, integrity and honour. It is slightly disconcerting that one would use such a powerful tool for political motives. I understand this may seem a little preachy and irrelevant to the actual discussion but your post sounded a little small-minded to me. You seem to be ignoring the respect and goodwill that Barcelona will gain from the general football community for playing fair and respecting the game.
I also don't understand the notion that Barca will be "handing" the title to Madrid. That implies that they are going over and above what is required, when in reality they are just giving a fair game to Atleti. If this game happened in the 20th round and hypothetically Barca were out and Madrid and Atleti were battling it out for the Liga, would you purposely lose to Atleti? In all those years when Barca were clearly not going to win the league, do you think they threw all the games against Madrid's direct title rivals?
If you REALLY wanted to win the league and prevent Madrid from doing so, why not fix the games from the start? Or do you think that is morally wrong, but throwing one match is not?
To be honest you are not wrong, my post is pretty small minded, but having said that your post is a bit idealistic. What I ask myself in this situation is 'what do we gain from beating Atletico.' The answer is very little besides some notion of respect from the footballing community which in reality will amount to no more than a small pat on the back. Sport can unify different cultures and what not but us beating Atletico isn't going to change a whole lot in that respect. In the end the way I see it the pro's of throwing the game outweigh the Con's especially when you consider that we have not beaten Atletico and they only need a draw, on top of that we will have nothing to play for so throwing the game could go unnoticed to the football world. All we need to do is stay in 1st gear which is something we have gotten pretty good at this season. Playing a slightly unmotivated game against Atletico is out own best interests.
Fixing the games from the start is morally wrong, and in the interest of fair competition throwing one game is too but wanting everything in football to be fair is just far to idealistic. We'll play in 1st gear, give them a point or a narrow win and no one will bat an eye lid, the result will look normal
If we adhere to your idea, then all they have done to us is justified too?
No of course not, this isn't anywhere near some of the things Madrid and Franco regime have done to Barca in the past.
Not extensively, but I get the gist of the situation under Franco. In my opinion, you can't hold grudges that go back more than 50 years, that shit is just not healthy. Hitler destroyed more than half of Europe, now you want all those countries to cheat against Germany?
It's not about holding a grudge to 50 years ago, Madrid actively seek to screw us over at every opportunity, for instance their media runs a constant smear campaign against our club. They are always attempting to undermine us in every way possible. It would be great for both clubs to work towards a brighter future where everything thing is fair but they have shown us time and time again that this is not something they wish for. They would pat us on the back and go back to their annual attempts to de-stabilize us.
I think you have misunderstood the concept of sportsmanship. you do not follow an ethical code to impress others or get perks. you do it for yourself and for it's own sake.
How does it benefit us for our own sake? What do we gain from Madrid lifting another title and potentially do a treble? Just so we can prance around pretending we are morally superior?
*Let me make one final point which is important to conier. Throwing this game does not change our reputation in the way some people are claiming. The only people who by into 'mes que un club' and see us as some sort of moral compass in the footballing world are... Barca fans. Everyone else thinks we are a bunch of Ueaflona, tax dodging, diving, child robbing, pig heading throwing p*****. Reputations count for very little in a sport with small minded, hate-filled and most of all fickle fans.
