For at least ten years, the classic between Real Madrid and Barcelona effortlessly eclipsed every other top poster in Europe. Until the shine of El Clasico started to bleach. On Sunday there will again be a golden edge around the Spanish top poster.
Real Madrid – Barcelona, Liverpool – Manchester City, PSG – Marseille, Anderlecht – Club Brugge, next Sunday is one of those days for which TV stations use the term Super Sunday to use.
In the previous decade, El Clasico belonged in a different row.
The classic between Real Madrid and Barcelona then competed with the Champions League final or even the World Cup final when it came to expectations.
Until the shine started to wane from the 2018/2019 season. Each time, one or more ingredients were missing to make the world stand still for 90 minutes.
Synonymous for best football players in the world
For a decade, Real Madrid against Barcelona was synonymous with the duel of the best football players in the world against each other.
Between 2009 and 2018, UEFA’s Team of the Year consisted of six or more players from Real and Barcelona seven out of nine times. Often even eight or nine. Ramos, Pique, Marcelo, Dani Alves, Modric, Iniesta, Kroos, Xavi, Ozil, Neymar, Casillas, Puyol,… and of course Ronaldo and Messi.
The clash between the two best footballers of their generation was the ultimate godsend for the poster and the impact is hard to overestimate.
El Clasico has not had that ultimate trump card since Ronaldo’s departure in the summer of 2018. Messi also stopped scoring in a Clasico after the Portuguese’s departure. In the summer of 2021 he also packed his bags in Spain.
Last summer, the superstars of the next generation (for now?) chose City (Haaland) and PSG (Mbappé).
The stars are right again
Still, the (football) stars are better for El Clasico. Literally and figuratively. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona are basically stronger teams this season than last season.
And there is another duel in the duel that everyone will be watching.
Both the first and second are mainly due to the chosen path of Barcelona president Joan Laporta.
Karim Benzema is the obvious winner of the Golden Ball this year, directly against Robert Lewandowski, who is making an attempt to recover his missed Golden Ball from last year with 14 goals in 12 matches.
Add to that some expensive summer transfers on both sides, plus some top talents who have aged a year and the level can only rise.
Vinicius is emerging more than ever as the successor to Neymar, Pedri still has to turn 20, Modric proves to be indestructible and Dembélé already showed in the previous Clasico that he will be untenable one day.
Summary of the previous Clasico
Battle for the leader position
Although the rivalry between the fans and the political undertone has never disappeared, a lack of sporting commitment and experience made the previous Clasico’s pale.
Last season, Real’s players took to the field twice against Barca knowing they already had a straight lead in the standings. For example, even the painful 0-4 punishment in their own Bernabeu received little response (see video).
A season earlier, Atletico was the best team in Spain. The fact that both Camp Nou and Bernabeu had to keep their doors closed to their own socios took the shine off completely.
The 185th Clasico in the Primera Division will once again be an open battle for the best club in Spain.
Not only because the winner becomes the lone leader on Sunday, also because no one in Spain doubts that this year’s title fight will turn out to be a classic battle between the two superpowers.
Classico with a black edge
In addition to a golden edge, there is also a dark edge on the poster of the Clasico’s this season.
They see it that way, especially in Madrid.
Barcelona president Joan Laporta opted for a casino policy. He played all or nothing and bet on immediate success in the hope that it will restore the club’s health in the long term.
Many see it as playing with the future of FC Barcelona and therefore also with the value of El Clasico.
Things look very bad in the Champions League after Wednesday. If Inter beat Viktoria Pilzen in two weeks, the group stage will be the final station for Barcelona for the second year in a row.
The importance of the second Clasico in March in their own Camp already seems to be fixed.
