La Liga 2024-2025. A new battle between the brands: Real Madrid vs Barcelona, Mbappé and Yamal.

In a few days, one of the most watched football championships in the world, La Liga 2024-2025, begins. This is an article about what goes on behind the scenes of La Liga, the battle between the football clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona, ​​and how Mbappé and Yamal will most probably become marketing "leverages" for both these teams.

FOOTBALL

Marius Polcovnicu

8/30/20245 min read

Yamal and Mbappé illustration, La Liga 2024-2025 , Real Madrid vs Barcelona.
Yamal and Mbappé illustration, La Liga 2024-2025 , Real Madrid vs Barcelona.

2024-2025 La Liga. Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, ​​and the roles played by Mbappé and Yamal.

One of the most watched football championships in the world, La Liga 2024-2025, is starting and we cannot miss the opportunity to debate the constant rivalry in the Spanish Championship - Real Madrid vs. Barcelona. I will cover the corners hidden from the eyes of those who do not closely study this topic, including the strategic moves at the top of which are two of the most wanted footballers - Mbappé and Yamal.

The Spanish Championship, despite an unequal competition between the top 6 clubs (Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atletico Madrid, Sevilla, Athletic Bilbao, Villarreal) and the rest of the teams, manages to attract an exponential number of fans. This success is due to the image capital that the clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona have been able to export beyond the borders of Spain.

What is the behind-the-scenes game of La Liga 2024 - 2025?

The relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona is not limited to a football duel; they represent the regional conflict between the Kingdom of Castilian (Real Madrid) and the Autonomous Community of Catalonia (Barcelona).

This aspect can be seen both from the perspective of the supporter and that of the patronage/partner. Although for the former this rivalry has reached an influence towards a global audience, giving rise to football tourism phenomena that directly impacts the local supporter through high ticket prices, for the latter this rivalry has meant a gold rush for potential sponsors and creditors.

The question in sight - How did Real Madrid and Barcelona become two corporations in the world of football?

Florentino Pérez, the president of the Castilian club Real Madrid, is an influential figure not only in the Spanish and international football space, but also in the political one. The close relationship he had with members of the Spanish Popular Party (PP) from the 1990s until today allowed him to obtain a substantial number of public construction contracts with the state. The ACS company (Actividades de Construccion y Servicios), of which he is a key figure, has managed to capture the Spanish real estate market. In the 2000s it was the main company dealing with the infrastructure of the Spanish state, including highways, metro lines, public buildings, and more.

The background of football is also in a neoliberal world, based on loyalties with political figures, relationships that, once cultivated, invite you to other potential partners. At the head of Real Madrid, Florentino Pérez tried to attract capital to produce capital, through all his relationships, starting from influential figures around Franco to financial entities like J.P. Morgan.

Real Madrid - an ultra-capitalist global brand.

Real Madrid is the mirror of today's capitalism, a club with sources of income derived from close relationships with global financial superpowers like J.P. Morgan, Emirates or CVC Capital Partners, whose investment is not limited to performance. In fact, performance is only the instrument of stability in this fight for image capital.

Mbappé, an export marketing piece.

Real Madrid is a global brand, so the players of this club must also have a widespread fan base. Because of this, Mbappé's arrival at Real Madrid is not only a blow to the other clubs because of his football value, but also what he represents in the extra-sport space. Kylian Mbappé is the symbol of France, he is also an influential voice in politics - see his statement before the French Parliamentary elections:

"I think that more than ever, we have to go and vote, it is really urgent, we cannot leave our country in the hands of these people, it is really urgent."

Mbappé is currently the best export marketing product. Even if in terms of performance Real Madrid still managed to maintain a high level (winning the UEFA Champions League in 2024 and in 2022) the arrival of Mbappé can propel the club to another level of their brand, thus once again surpassing a new record.

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Lamine Yamal, a newborn Catalan star.

In addition to the financial expansion of the Castilian club, there is even an indirect element, the birth of another star at the Catalan club, Barcelona. Yamal's run at EURO 2024 has propelled him as one of the most promising youngsters in football today. At only 16 years old - now 17 - he won the European trophy with 1 goal and 4 assists.

Lamine Yamal seems to have gained more notoriety than perhaps Ansu Fati has in the past, which may have an influence in case of inconsistency of play. The appearance of an image player from their own academy can be not only a step towards becoming a global brand again, but also in fueling the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, thus implicitly increasing the earnings of the two.

Lamine Yamal the Catalan Star, poster framed
Lamine Yamal the Catalan Star, poster framed

FC Barcelona - a constant rival.

This element of rivalry is key to the marketing of the two clubs, perhaps more so than in any other championship. The constancy of the two makes each brand dependent on what the other produces. The Catalan club, compared to the Castilian one, has a less stable leadership, with presidents being changed every few years. This may also be a reason why, in the face of a crisis at the club, their policies have kept changing when it comes to their team format.

At the same time, each one of them came with a set relationships undertaken before the position in the club. Thus, it was Bartomeu who danced a ballet around the political expectations related to the symbolic capital of Barcelona in the face of Catalonia's demand for independence in order to be able to maintain a close relationship with the capital's banks and foreign businesses. He is also the one who attracted the most investments, but also the one who indebted the club the most. Rosell is the one who brought to the table a huge contract with Qatar Airways.

After Messi's departure, however, the club lost its image notoriety. At the same time, the appearance of a player like Lamine Yamal and the re-propulsion of the club with him towards international performances can restore the image of the brand on a global level, thus becoming one of the main competitors in this financial industry of football.

El Clásico revitalized?

The new 2024 season may rightly be a key one in reviving El Clásico, essential in continuing the individual rivalry between the two teams.

The arrival of Mbappé and the outstanding season made by Lamine Yamal in the summer may mean a new stage towards a duel between the Spanish "giants" in football - Barcelona and Real Madrid. I say this because obviously the sunset of the Spanish Championship came with the lack of individualistic rivalry between Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi.

Can this be the new dawn for the two clubs?

How will these moves impact their financial situation?

Let's observe with excitement what is happening in La Liga.