Up to 40 cameras will cover Sunday’s El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid at Camp Nou, including dedicated coverage of stars Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. The match falls a day before the Ballon d’Or winners are announced.
The camera plan is part of a television production that includes ultra-high-definition filming, slow-motion replays and individual player tracking, a Spanish sports newspaper reported on Tuesday.
La Liga rules set camera numbers for major matches
La Liga classifies matches involving Barcelona or Real Madrid as “Category A”, which requires at least 22 cameras. El Clasico and the Madrid Derby carry a higher “A+” rating and need 35 to 40 cameras, placed according to a pre-defined shooting plan.
That information is shared with the referees’ technical committee and the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) team, showing which image sources are available for reviewing decisions.
Real Madrid vs Sevilla clash fuels camera debate
The expanded coverage follows controversy over Sunday’s Real Madrid vs Sevilla match. An off-the-ball clash between Real Madrid midfielder Adra Guler and Sevilla’s Peque Fernandez occurred in the 24th minute.
Despite 26 cameras, none of the available angles gave a clear enough picture of the contact, reviving the question of whether television can provide the angles needed in contested cases. More cameras do not guarantee that every event is filmed clearly, as this depends on equipment location, lens direction and distance from the action.
Lenses and replays planned for El Clasico
Coverage will include long-range and cinematic lenses, with images produced in 4K rather than full HD. This lets the director choose between angles and replay goals, dangerous chances and collisions inside the penalty areas in finer detail.
Cameras will also be installed behind both goals, alongside equipment able to capture fast shots and replay them in slow motion.
Earlier El Clasico camera experiments by the league
In 2017, the Spanish league used 40 cameras mounted on cranes and carried by helicopters, plus slow-motion cameras tracking Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. More than 400 specialists in photography, directing and television production were involved.
In 2016, 360-degree replays tested cameras placed around the stadium to build three-dimensional images. The league later used 38 high-resolution cameras to create stereoscopic scenes, and newer versions have reached 32, 34 and 38 cameras depending on the stadium and match conditions.
