Vs

EL CLÁSICO

What is El Clasico• El clasico is the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in the La Liga.

• There is a huge rivalry between these two teams and this makes for a huge attendance when El Clasico comes around.

How the rivalry began• The conflict between Real Madrid and Barcelona has long surpassed the sporting

dimension. This is as a result of Barcelona developing a reputation of Catalan pride and identity, opposed to the centralising tendencies of Madrid.

• Francisco Franco was a powerful Dictator in Spain and was against the idea of a second republic in Spain (Catalan).

• The president of Barcelona F.C. Josep Sunyol was also a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia and Deputy to The Cortes, for this he was executed by Francos troops without trial.

• The rivalry shot on from there.

Di Stéfano transfer• The rivalry was intensified during the 1950s when the clubs disputed the signing of Alfredo Di

Stéfano.

• Di Stéfano had impressed both Barcelona and Real Madrid whilst playing for Club Deportivo Los Millonarios in Bogotá, Colombia, during a players' strike in his native Argentina.

• Both Madrid and Barcelona attempted to sign him, but due to confusion that emerged from Di Stéfano moving to Millonarios from River Plate following the strike, both clubs claimed to own his registration.

• FIFA intervened and said that the two teams had to share the player. However barcelona back down and Di Stefano moved to Madrid.

• Di Stéfano became a big part in the subsequent success achieved by Madrid, scoring twice in his first game against Barcelona. With him, Madrid won the initial five European Champions Cup competitions. The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when they met twice at the European cup, Real Madrid winning in 1960 and Barcelona winning in 1961.

The Pasillo• During the last three decades, the rivalry has been augmented by the modern Spanish

tradition of the Pasillo, where one team is given the guard of honor by the other team, once the former clinches the La Liga trophy before El Clásico takes place.

• This has happened in three occasions.

1. First, during El Clásico that took place on 30 April 1988, where Real Madrid won the championship on the previous round.

2. Then, three years later, when Barcelona won the championship two rounds before El Clásico on 8 June 1991.

3. The last pasillo, and most recent, took place on 7 May 2008, and this time Real Madrid had won the championship

Luís Figo• With Barcelona:

In 1995 Figo moved to Barcelona for a £2.25 milion transfer fee. It was with Barcelona from 1995 that his career really took off: Figo won a UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in 1996–97, successive Primera División titles and went on to appear 172 times for Barcelona, scoring 30 goals.

• With Real Madrid:

In 2000, Figo made a hugely controversial move to Barcelona's bitter rivals Real Madrid. Many Barcelona fans felt betrayed by his transfer and turned against him, despite Figo having many years of success with Barcelona and having been a fan favourite for over five years. When he returned three seasons later in a league match (2002), he got a heated reception from the crowd and many started throwing objects at him as he took corners and throw-ins, including a pig's head.

With Madrid Figo won La Liga in 2001 and 2003 as well as the 2001-02 Champions League.

Ronaldo vs Messi• In recent years there have been two players who have stood out from the crowd in these

teams.

• Ronaldo and Messi are both considered the best in the world of football at the moment and it would be hard to disagree.

MESSI STATS RONALDOApps Assists Goals Comp Goals Assists Apps

43 14 55 All comps. (ex. country)

43 7 43

28 10 42 La Liga 27 5 27

8 3 7 Champions League

8 1 8

7 1 6 Other Comps

8 1 8

Results• The first El Clasico was on the 17 th Feburary 1929. It has a home game for Barcelona.

But Real Madrid won the match 2-1 with two goals from Morera. Parera scored Barcelonas goal.

• Since then the teams have faced off 166 times in the league with 70 wins for Real and 64 for Barca.

Real Madrid wins 70

Draws 32

Barcelona wins 64

Real Madrid goals 270

Barcelona goals 259

Total Matches 166

Team Home wins

Home draws

Home losses

Real Madrid 51 15 17

Barcelona 47 17 19