SEVILLE • The return of La Liga action following a three-month coronavirus-enforced break proved to be a mixed bag for viewers, even though there was no obvious drop-off in quality on the pitch itself.
While Spanish football resumed on Wednesday - Rayo Vallecano beat Albacete 1-0 in the second division - the Seville derby between Sevilla and Real Betis on Thursday was a big test of how the game "in the new normal" would be like behind closed doors.
Echoes could be heard from the dugouts at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, which would typically be packed to the rafters for one of the more hotly contested matches in the Spanish top-flight calendar.
With 40,000-plus red seats left bare with fans barred from attending for safety reasons designed to stem the spread of the Covid-19 disease, TV broadcasts sought to re-create the experience of a normal match with fans by using simulated crowd noise and images.
However, it was reported that the piped-in artificial noise - produced by EA Sports, makers of the popular video Fifa game series - was too low, making it near inaudible for viewers.
Fans also complained on social media about the computer-generated imagery, which was a collaboration between La Liga and Norwegian digital media company Vizrt.
According to British tabloid The Sun, the graphics used to replicate the presence of fans looked "like a (Nintendo) Wii Sports remake".
The BBC also reported the effect appeared to be poorly done up as it was "more like a collage of coloured dots", with the fake crowd disappearing or hovering when camera angles changed or during replays.
Groups of fans also ignored social distancing guidelines as they gathered outside the stadium to greet the buses before security ushered the 200-strong crowd away.
But on the field, there was little change as Argentina forward Lucas Ocampos picked up where he left off. Before La Liga's shutdown, the 25-year-old had been Sevilla's best player, scoring in four successive games.
He made it 11 league goals for the season, becoming the first player for the hosts to net in five straight matches since former Spain striker Alvaro Negredo in 2011.
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200
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Number of home fans gathered outside Sevilla's stadium who had to be dispersed by security.
Ocampos struck the opener from the penalty spot before a sumptuous back-heel set up Fernando's strike.
After the 2-0 win, Sevilla's top scorer this term said: "I had never played a derby here before and even though the fans are not here, I still wanted to honour them and make it feel like they were, and show that we are working hard for them."
The win tightened his side's hold on third place in the standings as Julen Lopetegui's side moved to 50 points after 28 games, while Betis were left in 12th place on 33 with 10 rounds remaining.
REUTERS, XINHUA
