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SOCIAL

Battle of the cities: Madrid vs Manchester

Battle of the cities: Madrid vs Manchester

In a vicious war of words, “ugly” Manchester has been pitted against “miserable” Madrid. Who will be victorious in the battle of the cities? The Local finds out…

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PENELOPE CRUZ vs LIZ MACDONALD: While Penelope Cruz may be an international, Oscar-winning actress, she has nothing on Liz Macdonald. Barmaid then owner of Coronation Street’s Rovers Return and mother of wayward sons Andy and Steve, Liz has been through the ringer and made it out the other side to tell the tale. Only Liz could have escaped a hostage crisis by attacking her captor with a stiletto. WINNER: MANCHESTER.Photo: AFP
REAL MADRID vs MAN UNITED: Despite their fierce rivalry, Man U and Real Madrid have a lot in common. They have both been the teams of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo and are both equally derided (usually by Man City and Atletico Madrid supporters) for the number of glory supporters they attract. If we look at the stats, Real Madrid has won the Champions League a whopping ten times compared to Manchester United’s paltry three, so we’ve got to give them the gong. WINNER: MADRID.Photo: AFP
SUN vs RAIN: It can get quite tiresome knowing the sun is going to be shining all summer long, sipping sangria in pavement cafes can become a bit of a bore, as we all know. For those of a more adventurous bent, Manchester’s unreliable weather is an exciting palate of drizzle and mugginess - you never know how the day will go, but you had better take an umbrella just in case… WINNER: MANCHESTER. Photo: Tonymadrid Photography and Bryan Ledgard/Flickr
GRAN VIA vs ARNDALE CENTRE:
It showcases early 20th century architecture, a grand sweep of a boulevard full of flagship fashion stores: The Gran Via is known as the "Spanish Broadway" for its theatres and the "street that never sleeps" for its late night atmosphere. And it's soon to get the biggest Primark in the world.
The Arndale Centre epitomizes the 1970s when it set the trend for largescale soulless shopping malls. It boasts 240 retail outlets and a food court and let's not forget the 1,450 space multi-storey carpark.

WINNER: MADRIDPhoto: nd1642m and WitchGardner/Flickr
ATOCHA vs VICTORIA: Atocha is not just a state of the art transportation hub, the setting off point in the capital of the high-speed AVE, it also doubles as a botanical garden where travellers can laze beneath tropical palms and watch the terrapins. 
Victoria Station topped the worst railway stations in the UK in a 2009 poll. It is currently undergoing a massive redesign and will be encased in a futuristic glass bubble, promising to be a flagship terminal. But it's not open yet.
WINNER: MADRID  Photo: Paul Hermans/Wikimedia and Daderot/Wikimedia
RETIRO vs PICADILLY GARDENS: Manchester's Piccadilly Gardens provides the largest open space in the city centre. With its murky water fountains and grassy patches, it's a great place to watch the world go by and is conveniently close to the train and bus stations.
The Retiro is also in the heart of Madrid and boasts tree-lined promenades, ornamental gardens, a boating lake and crystal palace.
WINNER: MADRIDPhoto: Shutterstock and GeographBot/Wikimedia
MADRID COMPLUTENSE vs MANCHESTER UNIVERSITY: Madrid’s Complutense University and the University of Manchester are both the biggest universities in their respective countries. While Complutense is one of the oldest universities in the world, it never quite makes it into the global university league tables. Manchester, on the other hand, is the 50th best university in the world according to the latest Times figures. It is renowned for its research and counts 25 Nobel Laureates among its students and staff, past and present.  WINNER: MANCHESTERPhoto: Shutterstock
PEDRO ALMODOVAR vs DANNY BOYLE: Pedro Almodovar might have won an Oscar and launched the career of the most famous Spanish actress in the world, Penelope Cruz, as well as immortalizing in film his adopted city of Madrid, but has he directed an Olympics opening ceremony? As well as being an Oscar-winning film director, Danny Boyle wowed the world with his take on British history during the opening of the 2012 London Olympics, even throwing the Queen out of a helicopter. That takes some beating. WINNER: MANCHESTER Photo: AFP
PRADO vs THE LOWRY:The Prado houses important works by influential Spanish artists including El Greco, Goya and Velazquez and ranks as one of best art museums in the world but it is a dusty old classic when compared to the urban design of the Lowry. An award-winning flagship waterfront development that not only houses works of the painter L S Lowry but also includes a theatre complex and is likened to Bilbao’s Guggenheim. Shame then that it is in fact in Salford and not Manchester.
WINNER: MADRIDPhoto: Shutterstock and Tom Blackwell/Flickr
CHOCOLATE AND CHURROS vs ECCLES CAKES: While Eccles cakes might be quaint and come straight from your nana's oven, a fruit filling was never going to compare with the hot, thick chocolately sinfulness of a churro dunked into a steaming cup of hot chocolate. When it’s a case of fruit vs chocolate, fruit doesn’t stand a chance. 
WINNER: MADRIDPhoto: Shutterstock
AND THE WINNER IS: Madrid! It was a very close call but using The Local's definitive criteria Madrid just pips Manchester to the post winning six out of ten categories. Viva Madrid! Photo: Shutterstock


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