This is the closest rivalry in world football, and FC Barcelona could make it even closer this weekend.
Another ELCLASICO is just around the corner and there will once again be so much at stake. Not only could FC Barcelona seal the title in the duel at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday night, but they’ll also want the win to boost their club’s standing in the overall head-to-head stakes. Click this link https://a.meridianbet.ke/c/C7pYjz to start gaming and stand a chance of winning big with Meridianbet
Over the years, these two foes have faced off in 263 official matches, with Real Madrid winning 106 times, with Barça doing so on 105 occasions and with the match finishing as a draw 52 times. That highlights just how balanced and competitive a rivalry this is. In fact, it might just be the most even head-to-head of all the major rivalries in world football. Other famous rivalries include Manchester United vs Liverpool (85 wins vs 72 wins), Arsenal vs Tottenham (86 vs 61), Bayern Munich vs Borussia Dortmund (69 vs 33), Inter vs AC Milan (91 vs 84), Roma vs Lazio (76 vs 58) and Boca Juniors vs River Plate (94 vs 88), amongst others, but the head-to-head record in ELCLASICO is the tightest.
Given that neither Los Blancos nor Los Azulgranas have ever been relegated out of LALIGA EA SPORTS, and given that both were founder members, ELCLASICO has formed part of every single Spanish top flight season. They’ve met 191 times in total in league play, and the head-to-head record in this one competition is also finely balanced, with 80 Real Madrid victories to the 76 wins of FC Barcelona, alongside 35 draws.
The top individuals in the history of ELCLASICO
Looking at some stats for the individuals who have made this fixture what it is, Sergio Busquets is the player to have featured in this game the most times, with 48 matches against Real Madrid. Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos follow, having finished their ELCLASICO legacies with 45 appearances each.
Messi scored 26 total goals across his 48 appearances in this fixture, making him the all-time top scorer in ELCLASICO history. He is followed by two Real Madrid legends, as Alfredo Di Stéfano and Cristiano Ronaldo each finished their careers with 18 total goals in this rivalry match. If looking solely at LALIGA EA SPORTS, Messi remains the top scorer in the fixture’s history, with 18 league goals against Los Blancos. With 14 assists, Messi also rules in this category.
ELCLASICO is usually a game of goals. Over the history of the rivalry, it’s 447 goals for Real Madrid and 436 goals for FC Barcelona. So, the goalkeepers have generally struggled to keep clean sheets in this duel that is so much about attacking football. Yet, former Barça shot-stopper Víctor Valdés managed to keep seven clean sheets during his career, making him the player with the most of all time.
There have been many fiery duels over time, leading to a lot of yellow and red cards. Sergio Ramos is the player to have accumulated the most of these across both categories, with 22 bookings and five red cards during his time.
Record results in ELCLASICO
Real Madrid boast the record for the largest ever margin of victory in this fixture, having won 11-1 in a Copa del Rey clash in 1943. The tension surrounding that game was so much that it is considered by many as one of the catalysts for the animosity between the two teams. Also in 1943 there was a 5-5 draw between these teams in league play, while there was even a 6-6 draw in 1916 in the Copa del Rey.
The longest winning run by either team was when Real Madrid strung together seven consecutive victories between 1962 and 1965. Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona team had been on a four-game winning streak before the first ELCLASICO of this season, which finished as a 2-1 victory to Real Madrid. The Catalan outfit did then get some revenge with a 3-2 triumph in the Spanish Super Cup, and now we’ll see who comes out on top this time.
