Being a fan of Spain's La Liga and Real Madrid since 1990, I never knew this tradition existed. The game after a team clinches the league title, the opposing team they play lines up and offers its congratulations. It is called a pasillo, or corridor.
This past Sunday Real Madrid wrapped up their 31st league title on the road. Yesterday they hosted rival Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu and the Barcelona starting eleven stood in line and welcomed the new champions. Since it involved La Liga's two giants, the Spanish media made a big deal out of this. I believe the last time a pasillo occurred between these two teams was twenty years ago.
Usually they take the trophy out but Raúl González, the Real Madrid captain had said no, it does not look good to flaunt it in front of their rivals. They will have a separate ceremony with the trophy on their last home game.
I'm looking back and remember in January 1983 the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC title game at RFK Stadium and then beat the Miami Dolphins in Super Bowl XVII. Fast forward to September 1983, the Redskins played their season opener vs the Cowboys at RFK Stadium. Imagine before the game kicks off the Cowboys lining up like Barcelona did and offering congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion Redskins. Sure.
Seeing this on GOL TV I remembered reading three years ago about the New York Yankees watching the Boston Red Sox raise the 2004 World Champions banner and seeing the Red Sox get their World Series rings.
In case you were wondering about the match result, Real Madrid went out and destroyed Barcelona 4-1.
More on the history of El Clasico
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