# Matchday: Inside FC Barcelona (2019)

> An eight-episode behind-the-scenes documentary following FC Barcelona through its 2018-2019 football season, with star players and coaches appearing as themselves.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/80516

## Facts

- Seasons: 1
- Episodes: 8
- Episode runtime: 48 min
- Status: Ended
- Genres: documentary, reality
- Network: Rakuten TV
- Cast: John Malkovich, Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, Marc-André Ter Stegen, Ernesto Valverde
- TMDB rating: 7.9/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11122508/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: measured
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: simple
- Violence: none
- Tone: celebratory, proud, admiring, warm, engaging

## What critics say

Viewers broadly appreciate the eight-episode behind-the-scenes look at FC Barcelona's 2018-2019 season for its intimate access to players and coaches.

## Synopsis

Matchday: Inside FC Barcelona (2019) is a Spanish sports documentary docuseries that aired on Rakuten TV. Following the famed soccer club through its 2018-2019 season, the eight-episode series gives viewers privileged access to the dressing room, training ground and matchday routines of one of football's most celebrated institutions. Lionel Messi, Gerard Piqué, Luis Suárez, Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and manager Ernesto Valverde appear as themselves, with the narration delivered by John Malkovich. Rather than inventing drama, the series builds its momentum from the rhythm of a long season, the pressure of league and cup fixtures, and the intimate moments between players and coaches away from the pitch. Each episode unfolds at a measured pace, mixing candid conversation with match footage and the club's own perspective on its identity and ambitions. The overall register is admiring and celebratory, with a warm, proud tone that will appeal to football fans and to viewers curious about elite team sport. Fans of Sunderland 'Til I Die and Drive to Survive will find a similar appeal in season-long sports access, and admirers of The Last Dance will recognize its star-driven portrait of a sporting institution.

## Shows like Matchday: Inside FC Barcelona

- [All or Nothing: Manchester City (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/69877)
- [All or Nothing: Brazil National Team (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/83158)
- [All or Nothing: Tottenham Hotspur (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/88757)
- [Neymar: The Perfect Chaos (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/116346)
- [Argentine National Team, Road to Qatar (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/128638)
- [Be Eternal: Champions of America (2022)](https://ember.film/tv/134699)
- [The Least Expected Day: Inside the Movistar Team 2019 (2020)](https://ember.film/tv/84982)
- [Messi's World Cup: The Rise of a Legend (2024)](https://ember.film/tv/154776)
- [GRAND PRIX Driver (2018)](https://ember.film/tv/66588)
- [Inside Borussia Dortmund (2019)](https://ember.film/tv/77911)

---

Site overview: https://ember.film/llms.txt