Penya Blaugrana Dracs Units celebrates the Year of the Dragon with FC Barcelona

Once again, FC Barcelona has celebrated the start of the Chinese New Year, which in 2024 is that of the dragon, with a number of activities in the build-up to the different games played by the pro teams. And as has been common in recent years, they were supported in the endeavour by the Penya Blaugrana Dracs Units, a supporters club formed by the Chinese community in the city.

Founded in 2016, the Dracs Units (United Dragons) claim that their support for Barça has helped then integrate better into the city and its local culture, with the football club forming a bridge between different identities.

The New Year celebrations are a wonderful way for East Asian supporters to make their own culture part of the blaugrana one. This year, they were there for the build-up to the basketball game with Alba Berlin on Friday 9 February, including a workshop outside the Palau Blaugrana where fans were able to write their own names in Chinese characters. Inside, a Chinese version of the Barça anthem was sung, created by the group GAS and there was a half-time show of traditional Chinese percussion and dance.

As for the football match against Granada on Sunday 11 at the Estadi Olimpic, the team came out of the tunnel accompanied by child members of the Penya Blaugrana Dracs Units and the same half-time show as at the Palau Blaugrana was performed, together with thematic banners and Fan Cams.

On Wednesday 14, the women's football team will be entertaining Levante at the Estadi Johan Cruyff and there will be similar celebrations, including the players also coming out hand in hand with children from the Penya Blaugrana Dracs Units.