Real Madrid vs Barcelona

The first El Clasico in the history of Real Madrid and Barcelona was disputed in 1902. It was in the Coronation Cup that was played in the Hipodromo de Madrid, and the blaugrana were victorious by 3-1. It was the beginning of a rivalry that has gone on and is still very much alive.

Barcelona were founded in 1899 by the Swiss Hans Gamper, known in Barcelona as Joan Gamper. Real Madrid were created in 1902 by brothers Juan and Carlos Padros, born in Catalonia. 

Madrid and Barcelona met in 1916 in the semifinals of the cup with Los Blancos winning in extra-time. However, the blaugrana were none too happy and left the pitch complaining to the referee, who had been a Real player.

The rivalry was even more intense when Ricardo Zamora joined Madrid in 1930. The goalkeeper had been with Espanyol for years, but he had played at Barcelona too. He was the first star to play for both teams and lifted the Republic Cup against his old side in the first final between both clubs.The biggest win in history

In 1943, with the return of football after the Spanish Civil War, in the semifinal of the Generalissimo Cup, Madrid won 11-1 against Barcelona. It remains the biggest win in the history of El Clasico to this day.

The episode that changed the Clasico forever was the arrival of Alfredo Di Stefano at Real Madrid. Both teams negotiated for the Argentinian, but he finally went to Los Blancos in 1953, though later played a friendly for Barcelona. With Di Stefano in their side, Real won the first five European Cups.

Barcelona and River Plate had agreed the transfer of the player to the Catalan club, but Los Blancos then got involved. The footballer was in Barcelona waiting for his move to be made official, but FIFA intervened and decided that Di Stefano would play one season for the blaugrana and another for Madrid. The Catalans wouldn’t accept the ruling and so the player ended up wearing white. The rest is history.

In the 80s and 90s, Real Madrid and Barcelona had two legendary teams: The Quinta del Buitre and the Dream Team. 

At that time, Los Blancos won two UEFA Cups, six league championships, three Spanish Cups, four Spanish Super Cups and one League Cup. 

Barcelona won their first European Cup in 1992, as well as four consecutive league titles. It was in 1994 when the Catalans won 5-0 against Real Madrid at the Camp Nou. 

The following season, the score was reversed, and only one player was present on the winning team on both occasions: Michael Laudrup.

In the 21st century there have been several meetings that still remain in the memory of many supporters.

Real Madrid eliminated Barcelona from the Champions League in the 2001/02 season in the semifinals, with a famous goal by Zidane at the Camp Nou.

Years later, it was the Catalans who celebrated several well-remembered victories: the 3-0 at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu with Ronaldinho getting a standing ovation, the 6-2 from the Pep Guardiola era and the 5-0 against Mourinho.

With the arrival of Jose Mourinho on the bench of Real Madrid and the presence of Pep Guardiola at Barcelona, the rivalry acquired even more tension, especially in 2011, when there were several Clasico’s in the cup, league and Champions League.

Real won the Cup, while the Catalans won LaLiga and eliminated Los Blancos in the semifinal of the Champions League that they would go on to win.

Two opposing styles and a rivalry that gradually began to turn nasty, especially in the Spanish Super Cup in which Mourinho put his finger in the eye of Tito Vilanova.

Real Madrid have 12 European Cups, 33 league titles and 19 Copa del Rey, while Barcelona have five European Cups, 24 leagues and 29 Copa del Rey.

In short, it’s a rivalry that does nothing but enrich the world and Spanish football.