The ‘Real Madrid vs Barcelona’ derby is arguably the most anticipated fixture for football lovers all over the world.
The fixture, involving Spain’s top two sides, is all about a unique rivalry set on the backdrop of social, political, religious and cultural differences.
Leaving aside the quality of football, the best thing about this fixture is it has long surpassed the sporting dimension – in terms of passion, intensity, rivalry – very few games in the world come close to match its grandeur.
The 231st edition of El Clasico as it is now fondly known as, has come at a critical time of the season, with Real Madrid lying just three points behind Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.
Among the major talking points in the run-up to Saturday’s titanic clash is the fitness of Lionel Messi, who has been training with Barcelona B this week and looks ready for the big game – whether it is from the start or from the bench.
Even if the Argentine forward fails to recover in time, Barcelona should not worry too much on the attacking front, as both Luis Suarez and Neymar have been in red hot form and have notched an astonishing 17 goals in nine games between them since Messi’s injury.
From the current form guide to interesting stats from the history book, there is over a century’s worth of El Clasico facts and figures to feast on, and we have brought together the best bits in this accompanying infographic.
We weigh up the two sides in terms of their historical achievements, spending power, track record and greatest ever players, not to mention a ‘medal count’ for both squads.
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