Alirón or nerves

The interesting thing about Espanyol - Barça derbies is that things happen, not necessarily healthy, educational, or edifying. That's what football should be about, about things happening, even if they're as irritating for some as Real Madrid's second goal on Wednesday night , the only epic performance at the Bernabéu so far this season.

Tonight's derby is the true participatory process in Barcelona , ​​long before the ones organized from above by the city council so that those below can decide on the pavement of a street, the streetlights in an alley, or the trends in dog parks.

The Barcelona derby will not be a sports gala: anything goes except breaking the Penal Code.

The evolution of football has blunted the passion of top-flight matches, even when they were decided by the narrowest of margins. Is it appropriate to chant "Madrid, bastard, salute the champion!" as Barcelona did on Sunday at Montjuïc, or is it a chant that incites hatred and could lead to an obligation to attend a workshop on civic responsibility or alternative sexuality?

Except for what is defined by the Penal Code, the rest is appropriate for a derby. Real Madrid 's victory last night aborted the theological debate about whether RCD Espanyol should have built a walkway in honor of FC Barcelona. It's a shame, because the issue would have generated a lot of coverage on social media, in neighborhood bars, and in the offices of BBVA and Sabadell. In return, it opens the door for FC Barcelona to win the title and its players to celebrate on-site , and, in turn, for the less healthy fans to take it the wrong way and exercise their supposed right to harass Barça players. It would be nice if certain images weren't repeated.

I trust Manolo!

One doubts that there are any obligations in football protocol, except for genuine ones. What if a team doesn't want to bow to the champion? That's their problem. In the same way, I don't think it's serious that Barça fans demand that Real Madrid salute the champion, assuming the allusion to the goat is due to the demands of the rhymes.

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Spontaneity should prevail. And football, even if two teams are playing for something more than just three points—whoever loses tonight will be on edge. Let's not be hypocritical: Barça's main interest isn't upsetting Espanyol but winning La Liga , while Espanyol's is avoiding relegation and, in the process, avoiding a league title under your nose. What the evening isn't aiming for is a sports gala with charitable and solidarity purposes.

There are many ways to celebrate a title in Comanche territory. The players know when they can warm up the stands and when they can't. The Barcelona derby promises. No Penal Code or tea ceremony. And if there's a tie, let it be with goals.