“The worst thing is the smell” | Relief
Friday, noon. Beginning of October. Quiet street with shops on the sides and two terraces in the center.. In the background is an incomparable view: Santiago Bernabeu. In bars, between the silence, a Tinder date and several groups of friends sharing their experiences.: “I remember a girl who wanted you and waited all night for you in vain,” you will hear. There is no noise, no football atmosphere. As if one of the most important temples in the history of sports did not stand before us..
Wednesday, noon. Beginning of May. A crowded street where no one else can fit. In which some boys climb up a lamppost to sing, where beer bottles rain down and the police suddenly attack.. There are screams, pyrotechnics, stress, excitement. On the eve of the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Bayern.
People begin to run towards the white stadium, crowding together, with police charges, gunshots and rubber balls.. Fear, tension. The singing doesn’t stop. “For supporting our Real Madrid,” he shouts. An ambulance takes away several men with eye injuries from tear gas. Meringue lovers get into cars. “It got out of control. Lo-lo-lo-lo-lo-lo.”
This is Calle Marceliano Santamaria, the place where the most radical Real Madrid fans gather. Before, during and after team merengue matches. With appointments planned during the Champions League days. A street with two faces: football days and quieter times like Friday afternoons.
“Previewing the Real Madrid match in Marceliano is something you will never forget.. You get together with friends to cheer for your team. You are setting off firecrackers. You carry your flares. “It really looks like Real Madrid,” says Relevo, a regular on this street near the Santiago Bernabeu. And he adds: “Those who complain already know what it is. Let them go live in another part of Madrid.”.
Testimonies from Marceliano’s neighbors
Many neighbors complain about what happens on this street on match days. Due to noise generated in Marceliano Santamaria, debris leftovers, damage to street furniture. AND In Relevo we visited the area to hear from those who live there and their businesses.
“It’s true that the street becomes like Christ when everyone gathers here to cheer. But it is also true that the cleaners leave everything in perfect condition when the game is over. Moreover, even before the matches run out, they start working and clean it using pressure hoses. “They leave it very clean.”– admits an employee of one of the bars on Marceliano Santamaria Street.
Another neighbor, accompanied by his wife walking the dog, describes the biggest challenges of living in Marceliano. “The worst thing is the smell. All the people who urinate and even defecate in the area. This is very frustrating on game days. Here in Marceliano, the neighbors suffer more from the games than from the concerts.”now, when there are so many protests. We don’t even know much about the concerts,” explains Relevo, a man who prefers not to give his name.
Some residents of the area have taken advantage of the noise complaints at the Santiago Bernabeu to speak out about what they are also suffering from at Marceliano Santamaria.. And they mix it with the decibels of concerts in the new stadium promoted by Florentino Perez. “It was for football, not for anything else. It’s not our fault, there is no soundproofing there”– Relevo’s neighbor comments.
Others, however, don’t complain. A group of young guys gathered in Marceliano defend Real Madrid. “I like the atmosphere in my area. Most of the protesters are elderly and many have already left the area. In addition, the presence of so many things increases safety and business in the area.”they are arguing.
The first one is answered by a waitress from the first bars on the street. “The fact that they said that Karol G’s concert will bring in 300 million… I don’t know where they came from. People here in Marceliano only came to buy from the Chinese. I think they must have gotten rich.”.
There was a common pattern among all the testimonies: everyone wanted to speak, and none of them wanted to give their name. And there is very little unanimity. “Many people are happy about the cancellation of concerts until 2025,” concluded another neighbor. But others realized that they were finishedand they didn’t like it. Marceliano Santamaria, street ultras of Real Madrid.