It is a genuine sentiment, no attempt at wit or irony.
Barcelona's clinical victory over the old rival at the weekend was both joyful and depressing. I may support Barca with a passion, but I felt deeply for Raul, Ramos and Casillas who are Madrid players heart and soul. What was sickening was the way Madrid fans walked away long before the final whistle. The stadium was more than half empty by the end.
It was the fans, not the players, who let Madrid down. The world was watching. If you are a true supporter you speak out, but you stick it out.
Barca are my team because I live here. But they are not my first team. That would be Norwich in the East of England, where I was born and raised and taken to watch league football from the age of 5. Norwich are just about to haul themselves out of the third division of English football and are one of the best supported clubs in the world.
Am I wrong about Madrid?