A great week begins

Between Easter Monday with the "mona" (monkey), the predictably quiet crowds of Sant Jordi, and the image of the Virgin of Montserrat, which will make an unusual procession on Sunday to celebrate the monastery's millennium, there has been a week of highly symbolic gatherings. And if that weren't enough, Barça will play the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid in Seville on Saturday, where the equally predictable Barça crowds will make the wind whistle in front of Felipe de Borbón before kickoff.

The final will be at 10 p.m. It's unacceptable for a match like this to start so late. It's unacceptable for the children, for the fans as they head home, for the players' rest periods, and, in general, for the millions of viewers who will be glued to the screen. But the television and sponsorship industries have ruled the roost for years, and we fans are so invested in the party that they do whatever they want with us.

Madrid arrives with Ancelotti sentenced, Mbappé singled out, and Vinícius dragging his reputation and his near Ballon d'Or win on the pitch, after a poor season, considering they were a team that should have been making football a reality. Precisely for this reason, Madrid has a chance to clean up its act in Seville. Barça has played much better football and will play with high morale, leading La Liga and a Champions League semi-finalist, but while they're brimming with youthful hunger, they're short on physical and mental strength. I don't know any Barça fan who would accept a move to Madrid, and frankly, despite the hurdles leading up to Saturday, it's nice to be waiting for a final.