La Liga is preparing record-breaking television coverage for El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. The derby will be played on October 25 at the “Camp Nou“, and according to Goal, the production will have 38 cameras with the possibility of adding a 39th.
The match kicks off at 9:00 p.m. Spanish time. La Liga expects a potential global audience of over 650 million viewers, and 28 international broadcasters are expected to arrive in Barcelona to create special content for different markets. The signal will be distributed through platforms and operators, including Disney, DAZN and Canal+.
More cameras after the controversial moment with Guler
The usual television coverage of the matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid is with 25 or 26 cameras. For El Clasico, however, the equipment will be placed around the entire stadium. There are cameras behind the goals, on the goal line, by the substitutes' benches and in the tunnels, as well as high-speed replay devices.
The expanded plan comes after the controversy surrounding the match between Real Madrid and Sevilla. At that time, the television footage did not give a definitive angle on the contact between Arda Guler and a Sevilla player, in which the Turkish midfielder was accused of elbowing his opponent. The match ended without a clear TV response to the controversial moment.
Spanish Mundo Deportivo reports that the number of cameras in El Clasico could reach 40, while Goal indicates 38 positions and a possible 39. The difference stems from different variations in the production plan, but both sources confirm the unusually large-scale coverage.
Connected ball and referee's perspective
For the first time in El Clasico, a connected ball will be used. The technology transmits data on the location of the ball and the exact moment of touch. La Liga defines it as an “additional source of information“ for broadcasters and commentators.
The broadcast will also include a Ref Cam - a camera placed on the referee, which will show the game from his perspective. There are also shots of the arrival of the two teams, the dressing rooms, the tunnel and the warm-up.
The pre-match broadcast will start 90 minutes before the first whistle. According to data cited by Goal, El Clasico's audience has grown by 51% in the last two seasons compared to the previous four, which explains the scale of the production for the derby.
Sources: goal.com, mundodeportivo.com, laliga.com