Barrabrava or Club Hooligans, Amazon’s latest release, portrays the deep-rooted passion for football in Latin American countries, where football isn’t mere entertainment but an all-encompassing emotion for every citizen. This series explores the darker side of this fanaticism by showcasing the organized group of hooligans known as “Barra Brava,” who orchestrate violence against rival teams. The story focuses on the Urrutia brothers, who, upon getting expelled from their club, begin their quest to regain their position. However, their path is fraught with challenges and obstacles, making their aspirations far from easy to achieve. Let’s follow the Urrutia Hooligans as their story unfolds in Barrabrava.
Spoilers Ahead
Plot Summary: What Happens In ‘Barrabrava’ Season 1?
Club Atletico Libertad del Puerto was widely recognized as one of the most prestigious football clubs, featuring a team of highly skilled players. However, the Urrutias played a significant role in the club’s rise to power. This influential gang controlled player trades, promotions, and various activities within the club. The Urrutia brothers, Polaco and Cesar, were loyal followers of their uncle, who served as the head of the gang and orchestrated all the club’s dealings. The uncle’s power extended beyond the club, as people in the neighborhood required his permission for everything from parking their cars to dealing drugs. However, a major rift developed between the club president, Heredia, and the uncle when the uncle was left out of a crucial player trade.
The club, Libertad, had offered $10 million for a player, but Heredia didn’t consult with his uncle before finalizing the deal. Unaware of the trade, the Urrutias became concerned about their stake in the business. However, a shocking turn of events unfolded during one of the matches. Romeo Acosta, the player who was being traded by Libertad, suffered a severe injury that permanently ended his football career. Libertad, believed that this incident was a deliberate act by the Urrutias, leading a rival gang led by Luna to seek revenge. They attacked the Urrutias, injuring Polaco and Cesar and ultimately causing the death of their uncle, who was thrown off a roof. Upon discovering their uncle’s demise, Polaco and Cesar were consumed by a burning desire for vengeance. But they were powerless to go against them as Libertad expelled them from the club. The Urrutias were left without the club’s protection or their sole guardian, their uncle.
The Urrutias had a family that consisted of their mother, Gladys, and their younger brother, Enzo, who had been paralyzed in a major car accident. Their father had lost his life in that tragic accident, leaving Gladys to care for the family. Nevertheless, their uncle stepped in to take care of them and became the head of the family. However, his sudden death left the family alone, with only the hot-headed brothers, Polaco and Cesar, to rely on. Cesar had his own family, including his wife and two children. On the other hand, Polaco had a daughter with a woman who was suffering from a mental illness. Polaco’s daughter, Ximena, had been living with her mother, but one day she discovered her mother had killed a man who appeared to be her boyfriend. As a result, her mother was sent to a mental asylum, and Ximena’s tutor believed it was best for her to live with her father.
Did Polaco Make His Daughter’s Dream Come True?
Initially, Ximena opposed the idea of living with Polaco. She knew that he had abandoned her and her mother when she was very young, and she was aware of his reputation as a troublemaker. These factors contributed to her disapproval of the situation. However, given that Polaco was her only remaining guardian, Ximena had no choice but to go with her father. Polaco, on the other hand, was hesitant because he didn’t want to expose the young girl to the violence and corruption that surrounded their lives. But, recognizing that Ximena needed a father figure, he welcomed her into his home.
Due to limited space, Ximena had to share a room with Enzo. Over time, she grew fond of him and discovered how Enzo communicated with his family through eye blinking. Ximena and Enzo developed a close friendship, and she began to appreciate her new home. Meanwhile, she expressed her desire to become a football player, inspired by her family. Polaco informed her that he used to be a talented player until a major injury ended his career. Polaco started searching for women’s football clubs but found that there was only one, which happened to be their rival club. However, Ximena’s tutor, Luciana, urged Polaco to put aside personal rivalries and prioritize his daughter’s dream.
Reluctantly, Polaco enrolled Ximena in Vieira’s club. However, he couldn’t bear the thought of his daughter wearing the rival club’s jersey. Polaco confronted Vieira’s coach and made threats, which resulted in the coach becoming upset with Ximena and expelling her from the team. Feeling deeply hurt, Ximena sought Luciana’s guidance, expressing her desire to no longer live with Polaco. Realizing his mistake, Polaco understood that by bringing his personal rivalry into the picture, he was jeopardizing his daughter’s future. He saw Ximena’s potential as a player and changed his perspective. He apologized to the coach and pleaded for another chance for Ximena. The coach, recognizing Polaco’s change of heart, welcomed Ximena back to the team. Polaco made his daughter’s dream come true, overcoming numerous challenges in his own life to bring a smile to her face.
‘Barrabrava’ Ending Explained: What Happened To Polaco And Cesar?
The series embarked on its journey with a power struggle between the Urrutias and various individuals within Libertad Club. Following the ruthless killing of their uncle by Luna and his henchmen, the Urrutia brothers became thirsty for revenge. Polaco had initially confronted Luna’s men but was far from satisfied. With their expulsion from the club, both brothers sought ways to earn money and regain their former status.
Inspired by a scene from Braveheart, Cesar believed that rebuilding their empire was paramount. To achieve this, they needed to strengthen their gang. They gathered local thieves, pickpockets, and drug dealers while also approaching Manucho, a former player for Del Puerto, to join them. Manucho saw the benefit in aligning himself with both groups, as he knew that if Cesar and Luna engaged in a deadly confrontation, one of them would die, and the remaining one would pave the way for Manucho to emerge as the chairman of the club. Therefore, Manucho maintained his involvement with the Urrutias while preserving his position within Libertad. During this time, his wife, Celeste, engaged in an affair with Polaco. By the end of the series, it became evident that Manucho was aware of the affair, as he derived pleasure from voyeuristically spying on his wife’s intimacy with Polaco. Nonetheless, Manucho remained unaware that Celeste had developed genuine feelings for Polaco.
After Ximena moved into his house, Polaco distanced himself from Celeste, and his interest turned towards Luciana, who genuinely cared for Ximena. Luciana, however, was distancing herself from Polaco due to his association with gangs and propensity for violence. In the meantime, Polaco sought revenge on Libertad by releasing a cougar into the players’ greenroom, causing them to abandon their game out of fear. Luna, aware that the Urrutias were responsible, took revenge by shooting on their house while the family was having a peaceful dinner together. Enzo suffered severe injuries but managed to survive after receiving quick medical treatment. In the meantime, the police raided Cesar’s house and discovered a large quantity of drugs. Cesar was arrested, but Polaco quickly assembled his men and stormed the police station to free his brother. Knowing that the police commissioner was involved with their gang, Polaco threatened to expose his complicity unless Cesar was released from prison. With Polaco’s intervention, Cesar was able to secure his release. However, his wife Elena, fed up with her husband’s illegal activities, decided to leave him, taking their children with her. Cesar faced immense embarrassment and realized that, without their former power, even the police were no longer providing them with protection.
Feeling powerless, Cesar believed that if he couldn’t reclaim his position in the club, he would rather destroy it. On the day of a crucial football match for Libertad, Cesar threw gas bombs onto the field, filling the area with suffocating gas and putting every player’s life in danger. The Libertad team was left with no healthy players to participate in the match, effectively ending the club’s existence. The club president lost all hope, and Luna, upon discovering that the Urrutias were behind the plot, hurried to their neighborhood to confront them. In the meantime, Polaco had just learned about the major incident involving Libertad. He realized Cesar’s involvement and decided to hide his family at the home of a trusted friend named Precupio. However, Luna’s men killed Precupio in front of his son and looked for the Urrutias. Polaco, upon discovering this, took matters into his own hands. He confronted Luna and his men, ultimately killing Luna and the rest of his gang to protect his family.
In the final moments of the series “Barra Brava,” Polaco confronts his brother, Cesar, expressing his disapproval of Cesar’s impulsive actions against Libertad Club. Polaco believed that Cesar had disrespected not only the players but also the essence of football itself, as his actions were driven by revenge and fury rather than genuine ambition. Polaco didn’t want to win over the club through such means. The confrontation escalated into a heated fight between the two brothers, resulting in Polaco overpowering and severely beating Cesar. After the altercation, Cesar left the scene, and Polaco took control of the gang. He met with Manucho and made it clear that from that point on, he would be the one to negotiate with the club members.
The series concluded with the expectation that Polaco had successfully reclaimed the leadership of the club, following in the footsteps of his late uncle. With Luna dead, the club president would probably extend his hand to Polaco, acknowledging his new position. However, there would be no place for Cesar in this reformed gang, as his betrayal had ruined his standing within the group. In the closing scenes, Cesar is shown burning an apartment before leaving the area. It hinted at a potential rivalry between Polaco and Cesar if there were to be a subsequent season. On the other hand, Ximena, now secured and content within her family, may find herself exposed to further violence as her father, Polaco has assumed the role of a gang leader. Perhaps, in the upcoming season, we can anticipate Ximena as a skilled football player.
