El Clásico

El Clásico (English: [The Classic] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help), Catalan: [El clàssic] Error: {{Lang}}: text has italic markup (help)^[1]) is a football match between two Spanish rival football clubs, FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, in the Spanish football league La Liga. It is one of the most famous football matches in the world.^[2]The biggest win against the two giants is 11-1 (Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona). They are considered to be about as good as each other, unlike El Viejo Clasico (Real Madrid against Athletic Bilbao), Derbi Barceloni (Barça against Espanyol), or the Madrid derby (Real against Atlético Madrid); Barcelona and Real are considered to be far better than their opponents in Spain, and two of the best clubs in Europe.

History

The rival match is also well-known due to its history. Historically, Catalonia was oppressed and disrespected by the dictatorship. Thus, the only way the citizens could take revenge to the government was to defeat the football club representing Madrid (the capital city and the central government in Spain). Real Madrid leads in Official Matches 104 wins to 100 FC Barcelona. As early as the 1930s, Barcelona "had developed a reputation as a symbol of Catalan identity, opposed to the centralising tendencies of Madrid".^[3]

Achievements

Barcelona and Real Madrid are two of the best football clubs in history, dominating LaLiga from the start of the competition.

Real Madrid has won 36 La Ligas, 20 Copa del Reys, 13 Supercopa de Españas, 15 UEFA Champions Leagues, and 5 FIFA Club World Cups.

FC Barcelona has won 27 La Ligas, 31 Copa del Reys, 15 Supercopa de Españas, 5 UEFA Champions Leagues, 3 FIFA Club World Cups.

Players

Barça and Madrid, of course, being two of the best clubs in the world, have had some of the best players in the world, including prolific forwards, midfielders, defenders, and goalkeepers.

Goalkeepers: FC Barcelona: Valdes; Real Madrid: Courtois, Casillas

Defenders: FC Barcelona: Pique, Kounde, Araujo, Koeman, Puyol, Alves; Real Madrid: Ramos, Roberto Carlos, Pepe, Marcelo

Midfielders: FC Barcelona: Iniesta, Deco, Cruyff, Xavi, Busquets; Real Madrid: Modric, Bellingham, Zidane, Kroos, Casemiro

Forwards: FC Barcelona: Messi, Neymar, Suarez, Lewandowski, Raphinha, Yamal, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo; Real Madrid: C. Ronaldo, Bale, Benzema, Ronaldo, Di Stefano, Puskas, Mbappé

Famous Matches

Some of the most famous matches have come in the Messi-Ronaldo era of the rivalry.

Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona (Copa del Rey final)

Madrid goals: Angel di Maria - 11', Gareth Bale - 85' | Barcelona goals: Marc Bartra - 68'

Real Madrid were without star man Cristiano Ronaldo heading into the 2014 Copa Del Rey final. Fortunately for Real, it proved not to be a problem, as Gareth Bale stepped up to the plate to secure victory for Los Blancos with one of the competition's finest goals. With the scores tied at 1-1 in the 85th minute, Bale picked the ball up in his own half before advancing into the space behind Barca defender Marc Bartra. Astonishingly, the Welshman then ran outside the pitch, past Bartra and collected the ball again before driving into the box and prodding the ball into the net through the legs of goalkeeper Jose Pinto.

Real Madrid 4-2 Barcelona (2005 LaLiga)

Madrid goals: Zinedine Zidane - 7', Ronaldo - 20', Raúl - 45', Michael Owen - 65' | Barcelona goals: Samuel Eto'o - 28', Ronaldinho - 73'

In 2005, Real Madrid were at the height of their Galacticos era, with their squad full of world-renowned names like Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Luis Figo, David Beckham, Michael Owen, Roberto Carlos and Jonathan Woodgate. That cohort of expensive superstars proved too much for Barcelona to handle when they travelled to the Bernabeu in April 2005, with Zidane scoring the opener after just seven minutes before Ronaldo doubled Real's lead soon after. A comeback looked on after Samuel Eto'o pulled one back for Barca, but goals from Raul and Owen sealed an emphatic win for the home side.

Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona (2017 LaLiga)

Madrid goals: Casemiro - 28', James Rodríguez - 85' | Barcelona goals: Lionel Messi - 33', 90'+2', Ivan Rakitic - 73'

Madrid red cards: Ramos - 77'

Real dominated the early stages of the game, having a penalty waved away for a foul on Cristiano Ronaldo before Casemiro gave them the lead in the 28th minute. From there, however, it was all about Messi. The Argentine equalised in trademark fashion, dribbling through the middle of Madrid's defence and slotting home. Ivan Rakitic then gave Barca the lead before James Rodriguez tied things up with just five minutes to go. However, with moments left on the clock in injury time, Messi drilled a low shot into the bottom corner to snatch the win. The goal was his 500th in Barca colours, and he celebrated by taking off his shirt and holding it up to the Madrid faithful, in turn creating one of the most iconic images in football history.

Real Madrid 2-6 Barcelona (2009 LaLiga)

Madrid goals: Higuain 14', Ramos 56' | Barcelona goals: Henry 18', 58', Puyol 20', Messi 36', 75', Pique 83'

Barcelona came into the match winning LaLiga 82 points to 78, but when Real Madrid scored early in the match, it was very uncertain that Barcelona would win the match, but Thierry Henry equalized four minutes later. When Barcelona captain Carles Puyol scored two minutes after that, Barcelona looked like an enormous favorite to win the league. Lionel Messi scored again to make it three-one, but shortly after halftime, Sergio Ramos pulled one back. However, just when it looked like Real could still come back and possibly win the league, Thierry Henry scored just two minutes later after Ramos' goal. From there, it was disaster for Real; both Messi and Pique scored in a 6-2 Barcelona victory.

El Clásico Media

Santiago Bernabéu, the home of Real Madrid, before El Clásico.
Camp Nou, the home of FC Barcelona, before El Clásico. The fans of Barcelona are creating a mosaic of the Catalan flag.
Cover of Marca newspaper titled "an extraordinary match of Real Madrid" to describe the 11–1 win over Barcelona.
Alfredo Di Stéfano's controversial 1953 transfer to Real Madrid instead of Barcelona intensified the rivalry.
Luís Figo's transfer from Barcelona to Real Madrid in 2000 resulted in a hate campaign by some of his former club's fans.
Barcelona players performing the pasillo at the Santiago Bernabéu in 2008.
In 2005, Ronaldinho became the second Barcelona player, after Diego Maradona in 1983, to receive a standing ovation from Real Madrid fans at the Santiago Bernabéu.
Lionel Messi is the all-time top scorer in El Clásico history with 26 goals.
Sergio Busquets has made the most appearances in El Clásico, with 48.
Víctor Valdés has the most clean sheets in El Clásico with seven.