After losing to a dominant Barcelona in their home game against the Spanish champions on 10th January, Tenerife's footballing heroes were up against it once again at the end of February when Spain's second most powerful team Real Madrid headed across the Atlantic to take on the home team. Despite dropping further and further down Spain's equivalent of the UK Premier division as the season goes on, Tenerife's local football fans are making the most of the promotion they gained last year to welcome some of the world's best footballers to their doorstep.

Tenerife residents rarely get the chance to witness such top level football, living so far from the Spanish mainland, but this season their stadium has been full to capacity at the prospect of clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia visiting the island. By the time Real Madrid match kicked off on the 28th of February, CD Tenerife's fate may well have already been decided as they already languished very close to the leagues relegation zone.

The crowds that have filled the stadium include locals, visiting fans and a healthy section of tourists who have taken the chance to add a top flight game to their break in the Canaries. The January match against Barcalona was a footballing delight as the home team put up stronger resistance that the 5-0 score line suggests and the hat-trick from one of the worlds best players, Argentine international Lionel Messi, topped of a great event.