Football heavyweight battles or “El Clasico”

What is El Clasico? It is a duel between the two biggest cities in Spain. This is a battle between Spanish and Catalan nationalism. Due to its historical and cultural significance, El Clasico is considered the biggest derby in the world.

In football’s most famous classic, “Real” has done better, having won 101 games. On the other hand, “Barcelona” has been superior 97 times, but 52 duels ended with a fighting draw.

After the UEFA Champions League final, “El Clasico” is the second most watched game in football.

The term “El Clasico” was originally used only for La Liga (Spanish soccer league) matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid, but today it describes any meeting between the two teams, such as the Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League or other tournaments.

The rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona began in 1902, when the teams participated in a tournament organized in honor of King Alfonso XIII. The two teams met for the first time in the Spanish league in 1929, “Real” won the first meeting – 2:1. Mutual disagreements between Spain’s legendary clubs continued to grow during the reign of Francisco Franco, when Real Madrid was considered a symbol of Spanish nationalism, while Barcelona was a symbol of Catalan pride and identity. Today, this view is preserved.

Lionel Messi scored the most goals in “El Clasico” – 26, followed by Alfredo di Stefano and Cristiano Ronaldo – 18.

• The record for successful assists belongs to “Barcelona” legend Messi – 14.
• Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid) and Messi have played the most “El Clasico” matches – 45.
• The fastest goal belongs to Karim Benzema, the leader of “Real” Madrid, who needed only 21 seconds on December 10, 2011 to open the game’s result.
• Alfonso Navarro is the all-time youngest scorer in El Clasico history. The Spaniard was 17 years and 356 days old when, on March 30, 1947, his shot flew into the “Barcelona” goal.
• The most devastating victory was recorded on June 19, 1943. “Real” celebrated the success over “Barcelona” with the result 11:1.