Sunday's match settles 124-year win tie
Both clubs stand at 106 victories in their long rivalry, and the winner takes the lead for the first time since 1902.
By Emmanuel Obasi ·
The scorebook is even for the first time in the history of this rivalry.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are tied at 106 wins each. The next match on Sunday at Camp Nou will break that deadlock. The fixture, known as El Clasico, has been played since 1902. Three points for either side will end a 124-year standstill in the all-time record.
The rivalry has featured many of the game's biggest stars over the decades. Past players include Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez, David Beckham, and Zinedine Zidane. The current squads bring new attention to the match. Barcelona relies on Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. Real Madrid fields Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr.
Historical games show how quickly momentum can shift in this contest. On April 23, 2017, Barcelona won 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Messi scored his 500th goal for the club in the final kick of that match. Sergio Ramos was sent off for a two-footed lunge on Messi. In a different era, a 19-year-old Messi scored a hat-trick in a 3-3 draw at Camp Nou on March 10, 2007. Barcelona played with ten men after an early red card, but Messi's goals in the first half and stoppage time saved the point.
Real Madrid has also secured decisive victories in this rivalry. They won 4-2 at home on April 10, 2005, with goals from Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Raul, and Michael Owen. Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho found the net in that defeat. Four years later, the dynamic flipped at the Bernabeu on May 2, 2009. Barcelona won 6-2, with Thierry Henry scoring twice and Messi, Puyol, and Pique adding goals. That season, Barcelona won the league by nine points.
Cup finals have provided other memorable moments. In the Copa del Rey final on April 20, 2011, Real Madrid won 1-0 in extra time. Cristiano Ronaldo headed in a pass from Angel Di Maria to break the deadlock. Di Maria was later sent off for a second yellow card. That victory marked the first trophy for manager Jose Mourinho and Real's first domestic cup since 1993.
The teams prepare for the weekend contest at Camp Nou. The winner will claim the lead in the all-time head-to-head record. The loser will fall one win behind for the first time in a century and a quarter.
Source: Al Jazeera
