Barcelona’s model of urban development has been evolving during the last 45 years. From the well-known transformation due to the 1992 Olympic Games to the current Superblocks’ project, we argue that there is an irresolvable tension between internationalization and building a democratic and egalitarian city. Drawing on the discursive analysis and “agonistic pluralism” of Laclau and Mouffe (New Left Rev 1(166), 1987), we show how the dichotomy between global trends and local needs has shaped the political discourse of each era. Internationalization acts as a driving force for Barcelona’s city project, but not as a definitive agreement. On the contrary, the internationalization strategy has been subjected to an evolution of its meaning depending on how it was articulated with the local demands of the citizens of Barcelona. And this tension is, above all, political.