BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Pope Leo XIV found himself in the midst of two of Spain’s greatest rivalries — over soccer and language — as he landed in Barcelona on Tuesday during his weeklong visit to the country.Spaniards don’t argue that much about issues like abortion or guns, but they do debate tirelessly about language and their favorite sport, whose significance transcends fandom.The U.S.-born pontiff had rubbed Barcelona’s soccer fans the wrong way by saying he roots for Real Madrid instead of their beloved Barça. Barcelona’s residents had already been speculating that he might make minimal use of their native Catalan during his trip to Barcelona instead of Spanish, which he speaks fluently.The pope sought to disabuse them of the latter assumption soon after his arrival by speaking first in Catalan. The languages and teams have been longtime wedges between Spain’s two biggest cities.
The pope visited Real Madrid’s museum“The pope is for all teams, but Prevost is for Real Madrid” were the words that sealed Leo’s sporting fate with many a Barça fan when he responded to a question on the papal plane en route to Spain.Real Madrid proudly posted the video of the moment, and social media filled with comments about how the club is “the team of God.”
