Real Madrid vs. Barcelona a look at the greatest rivalry

Introduction

Real Madrid's rivalry with Barcelona is unparalleled in intensity and passion. Known as El Clasico, this matchup between the two Spanish giants has been a staple of the football world for over a century. It remains one of the sport's most highly anticipated and watched matches today.

The History of El Clasico

Real Madrid and Barcelona first faced off on October 17, 1902, in Barcelona, with the home team securing a 3-1 victory. Since then, the two teams have played more than 240 matches, winning about half of them.

It is because of the cultural and political divide between the two teams that El Clasico has become such a fierce rivalry. Real Madrid is seen as the Spanish establishment's team, whereas Barcelona is the Catalan establishment's. Because of this divide, both fans have developed intense passion and dedication, making each match a must-see one.

The Players

It has hosted some of the greatest players in football history over the years. Real Madrid has had players such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Alfredo Di Stéfano, and Iker Casillas, while Barcelona has had players such as Lionel Messi, Xavi, and Andres Iniesta. In addition to contributing to the success of their teams, these players have also intensified and enhanced the rivalry.

Most successful club in El Clasico

While Real Madrid has won 34 La Liga titles, Barcelona has won 26. Los Blancos have won 34 La Liga titles, while Barcelona has won 26.

Also, Real Madrid won the Champions League on 13 occasions, the most in history. Barcelona has five titles. Real Madrid has won 93 major trophies, one more than its rivals.

The Coaches

A crucial element of El Clasico is the individuals who lead each team as coaches. Real Madrid has been led by notable figures such as Vicente del Bosque, Carlo Ancelotti, and Zinedine Zidane. In contrast, Barcelona has seen coaches such as Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola, and Luis Enrique take the helm. These coaches have not only guided their teams to victories on the field, but they have also significantly impacted the rivalry between the two teams.

The Trophies

Among the most significant measures of the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona are the trophies they have won. Real Madrid has won 34 La Liga titles, 13 European Cup/Champions League titles, and 19 Copa del Rey trophies. Aside from winning 26 La Liga titles, Barcelona has won five European Cups/Champions League titles and 30 Copa del Rey trophies. Even though both teams have a long history of success, Real Madrid has won the most trophies.

The Fans

Real Madrid and Barcelona fans are some of the most dedicated and passionate in the world. They are known for their intense loyalty and willingness to support them through thick and thin. Additionally, these teams' fans are known for their colorful and creative displays of support, adding to the atmosphere and excitement of each El Clasico match.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Stats: The Need-to-Knows

Since Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have left Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively, the focus is now on two other leading forwards in world football: Karim Benzema and Robert Lewandowski.

Benzema and Lewandowski have combined for 512 league goals since 2011-12, with Lewandowski's 313 goals the third-most (behind Messi's 366) and Ronaldo's 345 goals, and Benzema's 199 goals the seventh-most.

Benzema has 11 goals in all competitions this season, tied for ninth most in El Clásico history, but far short of Messi's ridiculous record.

At his new club Barcelona, Lewandowski has been able to replicate his Bundesliga-scoring form at Bayern Munich.

With nine goals, he is currently La Liga's top scorer. As well as attempting the most shots (31) in the Spanish top flight, he also has the highest expected goal figure (7.6), ahead of Benzema (5.6). As a result of his hat trick in the Champions League on his competitive debut for Barcelona, he became the first player in UCL history to score a hat trick for three teams.

Sergio Busquets, another veteran of this classic rivalry, could make his 44th competitive Clásico appearance. If he does so, he'd be just one away from breaking the record held by Messi and Sergio Ramos - neither of whom currently plays in La Liga.?

The Catalan captain will get a chance to beat the record during the upcoming season, with Barcelona potentially taking on Real in a cup competition and their planned league confrontation come March 2023. Should Busquet's feature and Barcelona prevail, it would make him equal to Francisco Gento - who won 21 out of 42 games - as the individual with the most wins in El Clásico contests across all formats (20 in 43 matches).

Even though Xavi Hernández has only coached Barcelona in two Clásicos - including that 4-0 win over Carlo Ancelotti's side in March - he has played in 42 of them.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Stats: The Current?

After eight matches, Real Madrid and Barcelona both have 20 points in La Liga. The last time they came into a La Liga Clásico level on points was not long ago - when they both had 13 points on matchday seven in 2020-21, this was their second La Liga Clásico.

The Los Blancos have never won more than 22 points from their opening eight matches in a La Liga season during the three-points-for-a-win era (since 1995-96). With three points per win, this is their best league start since 1991-92, when they finished as runners-up by a single point to Barcelona (also W7 D1 L0).

As a result of the three-points-for-a-win rule, Barcelona has won 22 points or more in their first eight league games for the eighth time in 28 seasons, and the first time since 2017-18. They have only failed to win the league once in seven previous seasons - in 2013-14, when they finished second and level on points with Real, three points behind league winners Atlético Madrid.

In La Liga, Barcelona have conceded just one goal across their eight games this season, the lowest tally so far in 2022-23 and only surpassed by their own record in 2014-15 when they kept a clean sheet in their first eight games.

It was a 3-1 defeat away to Real Madrid in the ninth game of that season.

Real Madrid vs. Barcelona Stats: The Youth

Barcelona come into El Clásico with the fourth youngest average starting XI age in La Liga this season, at 25 years and 343 days old. Only Valencia (24y 96d), Almería (25y 336d) and Real Sociedad (25y 340d) have been younger, while Xavi’s side have been almost two years younger than that of Real Madrid’s starting XIs on average in 2022-23 so far (27y 217d).

The age of Barca's squad is perfectly balanced, with experienced players like Gerard Piqué (35), Sergio Busquets (34), Robert Lewandowski (34) and Jordi Alba (33) working alongside teenage regulars like Ansu Fati (19), Pedri (19), Alejandro Balde (18) and Gavi (18).

In just two of their 34 La Liga matches against Real Madrid since 2005, they have selected a starting XI who is under 26 years old on average – both of which ended 2-1. A sub-26-year-old starting XI is almost certain to be picked on Sunday, and this time they're hoping to win again.

Among the top five European leagues, only Montpellier has given more minutes to players under 21 than Barcelona (9,801) since the start of the season.

Conclusion

One of the greatest rivalries in football history is between Real Madrid and Barcelona. With their history, players, coaches, trophies, and fans, these two teams have created a rivalry unparalleled in intensity and passion. In addition to being a staple of football in general, El Clasico will remain a must-see event for years to come, whether you are a fan of one of these teams.