I have to say in defence of some of our Spanish cousins that ATC at BCN is
significantly better than it has been in previous years and I think they are doing a very professional and safe job. If only you could install DATIS and PDC by ACARS I'd give you 5 stars!
If the BCN guys could also persuade your friends in MAD to drink the same Kool-Aid, I would feel alot less stress there too. One difference several colleagues have recognised is that in BCN the speed/tone of the ATCO is calm, confident and relaxed whereas in MAD (I'm thinking Ground/Apron frequencies in particular) it is often staccato / machine gun-like and panicked which leads to incorrect read-backs, repeats, uncertainties and mistakes.
As regarding home team favouritism, there will always be some of that. The local ATCO knows that the local pilot can safely accept a 'snatch' approach so that she/he can keep the landing rate optimised. What people don't like to see is being told to orbit 16nm out whilst the home team blatantly comes past you.