Cutting-edge technology to provide El Clasico viewers with experience akin to being in the stands

21 December 2017.- Saturday's encounter between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona, the first Clasico of the 2017/18 campaign produced by Mediapro, will feature the use of technology befitting what is considered to be the greatest fixture in world football. The game's biggest two clubs go head-to-head at the Santiago Bernabeu in a contest that will be beamed live to followers in 182 countries. The millions of television viewers will be made to feel as if they were at the game themselves thanks to the groundbreaking technology in place for the eagerly anticipated showdown.

To ensure that fans don't miss out on any of the action, the fixture's leading lights, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, will both be tracked by dedicated player cameras throughout the 90 minutes. Two cameras will get up-close and personal with the Portuguese striker and the Argentine forward, allowing supporters to feast their eyes on every last move made by the global stars. The same applies to the two men in the dugouts, with a pair of cameras set to be trained on Zinedine Zidane and Ernesto Valverde right from the first whistle.

In an effort to make television viewers feel as if they were lapping up the action from a seat in the stands, the Bernabeu is also to be equipped with a virtual Be The Player camera, which features Intel's 360° technology and represents a first for a LaLiga broadcast. This camera captures events from the player's perspective, offering spectators the same view of the match as their heroes. Another new feature which is set to be rolled out is the Laser Wall, a virtual wall that provides viewers with a clearer picture in relation to whether players are located in offside positions.

For the first time in LaLiga history, El Clasico will be produced in its entirety in 4K-HDR resolution. In addition, the coverage will break new ground with the 30 cameras to be deployed representing a global record for a 4K broadcast. By way of contrast, in the 2017.

UEFA Champions League final in Cardiff, 10 real-time 4K cameras were used, with the remainder being HD to 4K upgrades sourced from the HD broadcast.