Sunday’s match in Spain’s LaLiga between Barcelona and Real Madrid is going to make some history. It will be the first time under ESPN’s eight-year media deal with LaLiga that an El Clásico clash will air on English-language linear TV (Real Madrid-Barcelona clashes from other competitions have done so).
This match is set to air across ESPN, ESPN Deportes, and ESPN+, with coverage and kickoff at 10:15 a.m. ET. And ESPN is going all-out ahead of that match, offering four days of English and Spanish on-location coverage from Barcelona. On the English side, that will include ESPN FC Daily shows (5:30 p.m. ET Thursday and Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday, ESPN+), a special ESPN FC El Clásico Preview Special Saturday (11:30 a.m. ET, ESPN2 and ESPN+), and a prematch show Sunday (9 a.m. ET).
This is a big moment for ESPN’s coverage of LaLiga and in a media conference call Tuesday, ESPN analyst Steve McManaman (who will be calling this El Clásico alongside Ian Darke) told Awful Announcing he’s optimistic that linear exposure might lead to a stateside boost in audience for the network’s coverage of that league.
“I hope so. I hope so,” McManaman said. “It’s up to the general public to make that jump, isn’t it? Because, of course, we’re all interested in Real Madrid against Barcelona. We’re all interested in Lamine Yamal, or Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo in the past.”
McManaman said the real key for LaLiga is developing fan interest in even less-publicized games, though.
“Everybody knows El Clásico is the biggest game in the world, but it’s every other team in La Liga that you want to get behind and show an interest for as well,” he said. “That is up to the general public. It’s as simple as that. …It’s when you show Leganés against Valencia that you need the people to really tune in and watch those type of games, grow the sport, and to have more knowledge about it.”
In McManaman’s mind, it’s fan demand that really determines where matches go. And he noted that even in England, where he lives, LaLiga is mostly shown on pay-TV channels Premier Sports.
“We can publicize it, and we can show it. We can talk about it, but you need the people to watch it. …In England, we don’t show La Liga on the television, and we show every type of football, but the appetite…because we show so much Premier League and Bundesliga and Italian, maybe the appetite is not there. Maybe the men in the streets or the women have seen too much football, so they turn off from one of the sports. But you hope that that’s not the case, particularly in the U.S.”
That U.S. market matters a lot to McManaman, as he’s been working for ESPN for almost two decades across a variety of competitions. He joined the network full-time in August 2010 following work for them at the 2010 FIFA World Cup. And he said working with that company has been a great experience for him, with the people he deals with particularly standing out.
“I’ve always loved working for them. I think the people I’ve worked with in Bristol, Connecticut, well, are frankly, fantastic. I always have a wonderful time when I see everybody. I always get very well looked after. I always have a great relationship with them.”
McManaman said he’d love to keep working for ESPN down the road.
“As long as it continues, I’m more than happy. I don’t see them all the time, as you can imagine, on a weekly basis, but when we do and when I see everybody at the weekends, I really look forward to meeting them all. It’s been brilliant, to be very honest. It’s been brilliant.
One of McManaman’s colleagues there is famed announcer Darke, who will be his booth partner Sunday. McManaman said Darke is a delight to work with and travel with.
“I love him to bits. I’ve known him for a long time. He’s a fact nutcase. He loves his boxing. He loves his soccer, and he knows everything about every sport and every game. When you sit and talk to him and reminisce and when he talks about Muhammed Ali and he talks about all these stories, I just love being in his company. He’s a gentleman.”
McManaman said with a laugh that Darke’s so good at his job that it makes even his travel shenanigans tolerable.
“I’ve traveled around Poland and Ukraine and Brazil and South Africa with him at times, and he constantly loses his bag and leaves his bags in airports. So to actually walk around and travel with him and almost live with him in a hotel for six weeks is certainly a want to behold. I can’t say anything but the highest regards for Ian Darke. I think he’s a commentary superstar, he really is.”
In terms of what to expect on-pitch Sunday, Barcelona enters with 25 wins, four draws, and five losses for 79 points, while Real Madrid is four points back with a 23-6-5 mark. But both have won their last four LaLiga fixtures. McManaman said he’s been really impressed with what new Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has done in his first season.
“His man management skills have been excellent. I spoke to him the very first game of the season against Valencia, and he said he has some really good youngsters, when they get a little bit more experience and when the injuries get back on to the field, they’ll be much better. And that’s proven true.
“Also, I don’t know. He’s made Rafinha have the season of his life. He’s suddenly made Robert Lewandowski, who is nearly 36, have one of his better seasons. Lamine Yamal, Yamal is just a phenomenon. Sometimes that happens, that you come from 16-, 17-year-olds and perform as if he’s been playing football for the last ten years. That’s just extraordinary what he’s achieving.”
McManaman said that ability to connect with both young players and veterans, as well as the ability to keep a deep roster playing and happy, has paid off for Flick and Barcelona.
“So I think all of those little bits have added up to where they are. I think his man management skills, his ability to put his arm around somebody, to shout at other people. He’s changed a few little things around. I think it’s just galvanized the team, to be very honest.
“He did a good job for Bayern, and he has done an amazing job already at Barcelona, so there must be something in the water for Hansi. It’s not luck. He knows what he’s doing. He’s doing an incredible job.”
That sets the stage for a high-stakes El Clásico. McManaman said it sets up as a way for Barcelona to all but sew up the league title, but also as one of Real Madrid’s last chances to really make something of what’s been a down season for them following massive success last year.
“Barcelona has been dominant all year. They’re four points clear. If they win on Sunday, they’ll cement themselves realistically as La Liga champions. If they lose, it will be a little bit closer, but Madrid will still have to beat them by over 4-0 really to be better on the head-to-head, and they’re hoping that Barcelona will drop points elsewhere.
“At the moment Barcelona are the big favorites to win La Liga, because their fixtures are quite favorable. And you would expect them to get the job done. But it’s a huge game for Real Madrid because if they lose on Sunday, they’ll effectively finish the season trophy-less, if you don’t count the Super Cup at the end of the season, the main trophies. That will be a huge shock for everybody concerned.”
