Exactly, I used to enjoy watching El Classico, but it seems it's getting worse and worse in terms of play acting, cheating, crowding the referee, and so on.
I used to watch a lot of Spanish league circa 1999-2000 and back then the classicos were very intense, but without so many negative things as today - at least it's an impression I have.
Although I'm Brazilian, I've got no love for Neymar. There's no use saying it's because Barcelona are a bunch of cheats - Neymar has always done it at Santos and in the Brazil NT.
But then again, we look at those two pricks in the picture with him. Madrid is loaded with dirty pricks such as Coentrão, and especially Sergio Ramos and Pepe. Especially Pepe.
Pepe's reaction against Cesc when they had scored a goal was ridiculous. Unfortunately that's what El Classico is becoming all about. The Spanish FA has to clean up the game a bit, because it's getting unpleasant to watch.
It's not like Barcelona are absolute cheats and Madrid are dirty - they feed off each other, as long as the poor refereeing goes on in Spain like that. For the past few years, I've always considered the Spanish refs the worst in Europe and I think this has an impact on the league standards for cheating, diving, play acting. It's a real shame.
As for the dominance of the two clubs, I think it's sick as well. The TV rights should be more balanced - because as I understand, a much larger chunk goes to Barça and Real Madrid. They've allowed the gap to increase.
Only now there's a 3rd team breaking into this fight thanks to the superb work they've been doing at Atletico Madrid.
But when we look at how Real Madrid gets massive loans from the government, like they do, when the country is in recession... it's stomach-churning!
And how they pay 100m euros on one player. This whole Galactico thing, which have always made me suspicious. If you look into the club's financial books, I wouldn't be surprised if they spend more money than they earn.
And now this Neymar transfer is equally disgusting - more so because the real values were hidden and the player received 40m euros out of the fee. 40m! When Santos (the club who developed him) got 17m.
So we came to an age when players have too much bargaining power, more than ever. Is it good for the clubs?
Bebo mentioned Gnabry at Arsenal - a teenager earning that much, buying a top Mercedes as his first car. That was only a minor example.
We should really be thinking about Neymar, at 22 years of age, pocketing 40m euros from his own transfer.
I wonder, is it good for the development of young players as men? As in, having the slightest grasp of reality and how hard things are for most people in the world?
Well, food for thought.
