Hmm.. You said there's more to see in BCN yet rate it lower? :-)

I think he can't do both cities, because he's taking a 2 week Spanish language class in one place or the other.

I've only been to Barcelona but loved the city. Having a beach in the city is a huge plus for me, plus the architecture, shopping, nightlife, and sites. I think you won't run out of things to do there.

However, I ran into 3 different people this summer who said they prefer Madrid saying the people are much friendlier and the city is more fun. If that's true, maybe Madrid is a better choice when working on language skills. YMMV