Barcelona hosts Real Madrid in historic El Clasico rematch
The two Spanish giants are deadlocked at 106 wins each, making Sunday's match a pivotal moment for the all-time record.
By Gabriela Ivanov ·
Football fans have long followed one rivalry above all others. This weekend, that spotlight returns to the pitch. Barcelona will host Real Madrid on Sunday. The match is known as El Clasico. It is Spanish for The Classic. Millions of viewers around the world tune in. The fixture has featured some of the game's finest players.
The rivalry has a long history. It dates back to 1902. Past matches showcased legends. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were central figures. Other greats included Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez, David Beckham, and Zinedine Zidane. More recently, attention has shifted. Barcelona fans look to Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. Real Madrid supporters watch Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr.
The stakes are high on Sunday. Winning brings bragging rights that extend far beyond the stadium. The two clubs are currently level. Both have 106 wins in this rivalry. A win for either side on Sunday would break the tie. It would give that team the edge in the all-time record. Here are five standout clashes from the past.
The first memory is from April 23, 2017. Barcelona won 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga. Casemiro put Real ahead in the first half. Messi equalized within five minutes. Ivan Rakitic fired Barcelona in front after the break. Real captain Sergio Ramos was then sent off. He made a two-footed lunge at Messi. James Rodriguez leveled the score in the 85th minute. Messi struck with the final kick of the game. It was his 500th goal for Barcelona. Barcelona briefly went top of the table. Real still won the title by three points.
Another memorable match ended in a 3-3 draw. It took place at Camp Nou on March 10, 2007. A 19-year-old Messi scored the first hat-trick of his career. He rescued a point for Barcelona. The team was reduced to 10 men. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice for Real. Ramos added a third. However, Messi equalized in the first minute of stoppage time. Both clubs finished the season on 76 points. Real took the title on head-to-head record.
Real won 4-2 at home on April 10, 2005. The match showcased their Galacticos squad. These were expensive stars signed under president Florentino Perez. Zidane scored early in the game. Ronaldo Nazario doubled the lead. Raul added a third goal. Michael Owen netted the winner in the 65th minute. Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho scored for Barcelona. They nonetheless went on to claim the league by three points.
Barcelona crushed Real 6-2 at the Bernabeu on May 2, 2009. Gonzalo Higuain gave the hosts a 14th-minute lead. Thierry Henry equalized within four minutes. He later added a second goal. Messi, Carles Puyol, and Gerard Pique also scored. A second-half goal from Ramos mattered little. Barcelona won the league that season by nine points.
The final entry is the Copa del Rey final. It was played on April 20, 2011. Real won 1-0 in extra time. The first 90 minutes were goalless. Many expected a penalty shootout. Instead, Ronaldo headed in a pass from Angel Di Maria. Di Maria was later sent off for a second yellow card. It did not cost Real the match. The goal secured their first trophy under then-manager Jose Mourinho. It was also their first domestic cup since 1993.
