WHO HAS THE BETTER CLASICO RECORD? BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID
After what feels like a long wait, the latest chapter in the world's
most famous rivalry will be written in La Liga on Saturday
It feels as if it has been a while, but the biggest game in world
football returns this weekend.
Real Madrid and Barcelona will clash in La Liga for the first time
since April on Saturday, and it may be a must-win Clasico for Zinedine Zidane's
side if they wish to keep the title race alive.
Since losing to Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana at the start of the
campaign, Barca have roared ahead of their rivals and sit 11 points clear of
them in the Spanish top flight — albeit having played a game extra.
The visit to the Santiago Bernabeu, though, has always been the most
challenging test of their season.
In fact — despite their undoubted greatness — Barca are still chasing
Madrid in a number of categories when the history of the two clubs is compared
head-to-head, though they have the edge in some areas too.
Goal takes a look at how the biggest institutions in club football have
compared over the years.
Saturday's match will be the 236th competitive Clasico, though Madrid
and Barca have met another 34 times in friendlies and other exhibition matches.
As things stand, Los Blancos have the edge when it comes to the
head-to-head record, but it is very tight. They are four wins ahead of Barca
overall and just three better off in league matches.
|
COMPETITION
|
GAMES PLAYED
|
MADRID WINS
|
BARCA WINS
|
DRAWS
|
|
LA LIGA
|
174
|
72
|
69
|
33
|
|
COPA DEL REY
|
33
|
12
|
14
|
7
|
|
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
|
8
|
3
|
2
|
3
|
|
OTHER COMPETITIONS*
|
20
|
8
|
6
|
6
|
|
TOTAL
|
235
|
95
|
91
|
49
|
In other competitions, the sample size is smaller. Barca have the
advantage in the 33 games played in the Copa del Rey, while Madrid are ahead by
a hair on the rare occasions these rivals have been drawn together in the
Champions League or European Cup.
Since Barca made Pep Guardiola their coach in the summer of 2008,
though, the tide has been turning.
In La Liga, Barca have won 11 of the Clasicos played since Guardiola's
appointment, drawing three and losing four. They also won the 2010-11 Champions
League semi-final, which was the first time the clubs have met in that
competition since 2002.
Despite Barca's period of dominance under Guardiola, Madrid still have
the bragging rights when it comes to the trophy cabinet, too.
Los Blancos have won 33 league championships — a Spanish record — and
remain nine ahead of the Blaugrana. They are also well clear when it comes to
the Champions League, with 12 to Barca's five.
|
COMPETITION
|
REAL MADRID
|
BARCELONA
|
|
LA LIGA
|
33
|
24
|
|
COPA DEL REY
|
19
|
29
|
|
SUPERCOPA DE ESPANA
|
10
|
12
|
|
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
|
12
|
5
|
|
UEFA SUPER CUP
|
4
|
5
|
|
CLUB WORLD CUP
|
3
|
3
|
|
Total
|
81
|
78
|
Barca have won the Copa del Rey 10 times more than Madrid, though, and
you can see their recent strength in the fact that they have matched their
rivals' three Club World Cups — a competition that only started in 2000.
Again, a closer look at more recent history presents a more flattering
picture for Barcelona.
Since the 1990-91 season, they have won La Liga 14 times to Madrid's
eight. Barca have claimed the European crown five times in the same period,
with Madrid just ahead on six.
Both clubs endured a barren spell continentally in the 1970s and 1980s
as English, Italian and German clubs dominated, but the difference in the
Clasico competitors' European records can be attributed to the two decades
before that.
Madrid cleaned up through the early years of the European Cup, winning
it five times in a row between 1956 and 1960 and again in 1966. They also
dominated La Liga, winning it 18 times between 1950 and 1980 to Barca's five.
Information source : goal dot com
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