It’s finally here – El Clasico. The seven-month wait for the 265th edition of the biggest rivalry in club football will eventually end with Barcelona hosting Real Madrid on Saturday at the Nou Camp. It’s the battle between probably the two biggest clubs in the universe and as usual, it promises loads of excitement, intrigue, and drama for the fans.
Barca, who have not particularly been impressive in their La Liga defence this term, face a Real team who are six points superior at the summit of the log. The visitors are unbeaten this season and will be inspired by their recent 2-1 victory on the road against their rivals in April.
Should Luis Enrique’s men come out tops, it would be their 50th at home but the Spaniard could become the first to lose in two successive Clasico if the result goes the other. However, for the fans, the stats counts for nothing as they await yet another thrilling encounter which parades some of the world’s biggest names.
Here are five reasons the universe is going nuts about this El Clasico clash.
- Biggest clubs in the world
Right now, it is hard to argue that Barcelona and Real are not the two best teams not only in the Iberian Peninsula but in the world. According to Forbes, only the Dallas Cowboys are ahead of the pair in the ranking of the most valuable sports clubs in the world. Trophy-wise, both clubs have 56 domestic and 16 European titles amongst themselves.
- Massive spectators
When it comes to supporters inside the stadium, El Clasico is unparalleled. Last season, more than 30,000 more fans attended Barca’s games with Real than any other game between major football rivals. The first meeting, at Madrid’s Bernabeu, had an attendance of 81,044 while the second, at the Camp Nou, drew a crowd of 99,264. Even the 2014 FIFA World Cup or Euro 2016 finals is nothing close to the El Clasico.
- Quality players
As it’s been the case over the years, the El Clasico parades unarguably the best players in the world. Football greats such as Alfredo Di Stefano, Johan Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Luis Figo, Raul and Xavi all left lasting legacies in the fixture. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Luis Suarez are expected to light up this one.
- The Catalonia factor
The enmity between these two clubs runs much deeper than mere football – their differences are borne out of the Spanish Civil War. When these two meet at the Camp Nou the home team are representing not just the city but their entire region against the King’s team. There are signs in the ground declaring such things as “Catalonia is not Spain.”
- Messi vs. Ronaldo
Fittingly for the two best teams in the world today, they each possess one of the two best players among their ranks. Messi and Ronaldo have been at the pinnacle of world football for almost a decade now – winning the last eight editions of the FIFA World Player of the Year award. All eyes will once again be on the pair to lead their teams to victory on Saturday with the outcome partly playing a role on who wins the next edition of the accolade.
