The whole world is watching as El Clásico climbs – the biggest duel in Spanish football, a duel of superlatives.
El Clásico – for a long time it was called Cristiano Ronaldo against Lionel Messi. But even after Ronaldo’s move to Juventus Turin, the match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona has lost nothing of its explosive nature, as it is more than a rivalry between the two greatest football stars of our time.
After 180 league duels, the result is a draw. Both teams have won 72 games each and 36 draws have been drawn. What is special for Barca is that with a win against their long-time rivals, the Catalans could take the lead on Sunday (La Liga: Real Madrid – FC Barcelona from 9pm on the live ticker) for the first time in the history of the Clásico. So for Messi and Co. a historic chance!
The Clásico – in English: “classic” is one of the biggest rivalries in football. SPORT1 shows where the enmity comes from and which duels and personalities have shaped the game of all games in Spain. A look at the history.
Madrid and Barcelona have always been united by a deep aversion. A football player early on caused a special rift in the relationship between the Catalans and the Madrileneans: Alfredo Di Stefano.
By 1953, Barcelona had almost secured the services of Argentine talent – but only almost. Real Madrid also became aware of the situation and made an effort for Di Stefano. A transfer posse arose, whereupon the Spanish league proposed an unusual deal: Alfredo Di Stefano would play for both clubs for two years.
However, this agreement did not suit FC Barcelona at all. The club renounced voluntarily. Exactly why, no one knows to this day. One theory is that the striker deliberately played badly during the preparatory games in order to persuade Barcelona to renounce.
The 1960/61 rivalry was fuelled by the clash between the two clubs in the Round of 16 of the National Champions Cup. In the second leg, the English referee Reg Leafe had failed to recognise four goals from the Madrilenians. FC Barcelona reached the next round – and the aversion of both teams grew.
Madrid v Barcelona: A duel of opposites
The rivalry, however, arose many decades earlier.
Madrid and Barcelona – the two largest cities in Spain. Capital against Mediterranean metropolis. Castile against Catalonia. Pride against government criticism. And in addition: Two of the most successful football clubs in the Spanish league.
The first official meeting of the two teams took place in 1902 in the Copa de la Coronacion – a forerunner of today’s Copa del Rey.