Barcelona are the latest club to be the subject of a behind-the-scenes documentary, with the likes of Manchester City and Borussia Dortmund all recently offering in-depth, personal looks into the inner-workings of their club to television.
It is no surprise that the Liga giants are at the centre of another series, having claimed their 26th La Liga title last season and the club still retaining its status as one of the most successful clubs in Europe.
What is Matchday?
Matchday is a fly-on-the wall documentary series released in November 2019 based on Barcelona and eight key games the team played during the 2018-19 season.
Narrated by American actor John Malkovich, Matchday is set to offer fans a personal glimpse into the lives of several Barcelona players across the duration of a season – a campaign in which Lionel Messi was handed the captain's armband permanently for the first time.
"When they ask you you about the Barca objectives, what the goals for the year are... it's always the same. We must win, always," manager Ernesto Valverde can be heard saying in the trailer.
Next Match
Much like Amazon's Manchester City: All or Nothing series, Matchday will offer viewers exclusive footage of the Liga champions both on and off the pitch. TV cameras filmed the lives of stars such as Messi, Luis Suarez and Gerard Pique not just at the stadium, but their personal lives as well.
Eight 45-minute episodes will revolve around eight crucial games during the 18-19 campaign, including season-highs where Barcelona defeated Real Madrid twice, including the 5-1 hammering at Camp Nou and the 3-0 Copa del Rey victory at Santiago Bernabeu.
The topic of El Clasico will be covered in-depth, with footage showing how the various players prepare for the match both mentally and physically.
The season's low points will also be portrayed, however – with one episode focusing on the devastating disappointment of the Champions League second-leg semi-final defeat at Anfield in which the Spanish giants were defeated 4-0 by the eventual European champions.
Away from the pitch, cameras were also granted access to the personal lives of several Barcelona players and their everyday activities away from the pitch. One such episode will focus on the likes of Messi and Jordi Alba enjoying a barbecue at Luis Suarez's house, along with Pique enjoying time off with his family.
Watch the trailer below.
Matchday Season 2
Matchday season 1 was released on November 29 2019, and according to ESPN, a second series has been commissioned.
They state that access for the next season will be limited, however, as the first season was not well-received by the squad. According to ESPN, the players were reportedly unhappy with the coverage of the dressing room scenes after the Champions League second-leg semi-final loss at Anfield, with none of the players appearing for the red carpet premiere of the series.
The team have, however, reached an agreement for a second series that will have more limitations on coverage. There will be no further dressing room sequences, and each player has implemented their own restrictions.
There is no release date set for season two of Matchday, but it is expected to be released in November 2020, a year on from the premiere of the first season.
How can I watch Matchday?
Matchday will be able to watch exclusively on Rakuten TV in Europe.
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