Post date: Apr 28, 2011 12:2:10 AM
Hundreds of Libyan football fans in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi take a break from the current crisis to enjoy the Real Madrid-Barcelona Champions League derby.
BENGHAZI, LIBYA (APRIL 27, 2011) REUTERS - In Benghazi football fans gathered to watch the Real Madrid and Barcelona Champions League clash in the open air on Wednesday (April 27).
Libyan football fans in the rebel stronghold of Benghazi took a welcome break from the country's ongoing civil war today to watch tonight's Champion's League match between Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona tonight.
TV stations in cafes in downtown Benghazi that are usually switched to satellite news stations beaming out breaking news about the uprisings in Libya and other Arab countries, were switched to the Clasico, which saw Argentinian wizard Messi put two goals past Real to seal the win for Barca.But politics was never far from the fans' minds as the hundreds of them watching in one café mixed chants supporting their teams with chants denouncing longtime Libyan leader Muammar al-Gaddafi.
A two month uprising has seen Gaddafi stubbornly cling to power as rebels based in the east of the country have tried to put an end to his 42 year reign.
The majority of the fans seemed to favour winners Barcelona, with Real Madrid's Libyan faithful put on the defensive after Jose Mourinho's side were reduced to ten men following a red card for Pepe, before Mourinho himself was relegated to the stands.
There was euphoria following Lionel Messi's 76 minute tap in, and pandemonium after the Argentine World Player of the Year's brilliant individual strike three minutes from time
One fan said he hoped the result would set Barcelona on course to win the Champions League Cup, before jokingly equating Real with Muammar al-Gaddafi.
"Barcelona are the best, better than Real Madrid, and God willing we will raise the Cup over our heads. [second fan, English] 'Muammar Gaddafi get out!'. [First Fan] Real Madrid are not good, and Muammar Gaddafi is no good."
Another fan, Moataz, said that the fans were enjoying themselves even more now that they didn't have to live under the rule of Gaddafi's regime.
"The situation with Gaddafi is disaster. It's a disaster thing. Gaddafi go away, because we are freedoms peoples. We need the freedoms, we need the free life, okay? You can see the free life here, without Gaddafi," he said.
Messi's goals, his 10th and 11th in 11 games in this edition of Europe's elite club competition, gave Barca a huge advantage to take back to the Nou Camp next week.