Football fans all over the world await one of the important derby each season- The El Clasico. The game between Real Madrid and Barcelona isn’t just a game, it’s a matter of pride. 

History Of The Fixture

The fixture itself surpasses football. In the 1930’s Barcelona had developed a Catalan identity. The hatred started in 1936 when Francisco Franco started the Coup D’etat against the democratic Second Spanish Republic. Barcelona’s president at the time was Josep Sunyol who was a member of the Republican Left of Catalonia. Sunyol was executed without a trial by Franco’s troops angering the Catalans. Barcelona was on top of the list of organizations to be outlawed. Franco’s fascist rule was also hated by most citizens of Barcelona itself. It was during this period that Barca adopted their motto- Més que un club (English: More than a club) which stood for their progressive beliefs.

The rivalry only grew over the years through fixtures like the infamous 1934 Copa Generalisimo final. Barcelona won the home leg 3-0 but lost 11-1 at Madrid. The Barcelona fans were also not allowed to travel to Madrid. In the home leg, Barcelona were accused of using dirty tactics which led to a huge uproar in Madrid. As a result, violence broke out between the Ultras of both clubs. At a time when Spain was already experiencing instability, this rivalry fueled the divide between Catalunya and the rest of Spain

Di Stefano Scandal

Alfredo Di Stefano is a Madrid legend but things could have been very different. In the 1950’s Di Stefano impressed while playing in Colombia. As a result, both Real and Barca were competing for his signature. In the chaos between the two clubs, Di Stefano moved to River Plate. Both clubs, however, argued that they owned his registration. After an intervention by FIFA, it was decided that Real and Barca would have to share his ownership over alternative seasons.

This led to the Barca president being sacked and Di Stefano’s contract at the Camp Nou being terminated. The Argentine moved to Madrid scoring twice in his first game against Barcelona. With him, Real Madrid won the initial five European Champions Cup competitions.

Luis Figo Transfer

Another transfer that made headlines was the move of Luis Figo from Barcelona to Real. Florentino Perez offered Figo USD 2.4 million to move to Madrid if he won the presidential election. Figo denied this profusely calling Perez a liar and insisting he would stay at Barcelona. The only way Barcelona could keep their vice captain was to pay a fee of 30 million, signing their own player. Barcelona’s new president, Joan Gaspart, called the media and told them, “Today, Figo gave me the impression that he wanted to do two things: get richer and stay at Barça”. Only one of them happened. The following day he was announced as a Real Madrid player.

The transfer itself riled up Barcelona fans but the circumstances were what made Figo such a hated figure after that. On his visit to the Camp Nou, banners with ‘Scum’ and ‘Judas’ were hung up around the stadium. Missiles of oranges, bottles, cigarette lighters, even a couple of mobile phones were thrown at him. In the 2002 Clasico, the hatred reached a new level as bottles, knives and even a pig’s head were thrown at him.

The Modern El Clasico

The Clasico’s are dominated by the entire Ronaldo vs Messi comparison. Two of the greatest players in football are always compared when it comes to the game and are seen as a face of the rivalry itself. This has maybe made the fixture less eye-catching in itself. Ronaldo and Messi may be amazing players but the fixture is about 11 against 11 competing for pride. With both the clubs also spending huge amounts of money each season, the rivalry between the players seems to be diluted. Homegrown players like Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique and Andres Iniesta understand the significance of the game when new transfers may not. This however does not go to say that the Clasico has lost its charm.

The pace, power and ferocity of the game are what set it apart. The El Clasico remains football’s most iconic fixture.

Picture Courtesy: ESPN, Forbes