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On this Saturday evening in Spain, passion will once again be in the air, the heavens and earth will mix, the streets will empty, life will be forgotten and moved to the stadiums or at least in front of the TV screen: in the capital Madrid, the match will take place at the "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium, which hardly anyone is indifferent to - "El Clasico".
On the occasion of the upcoming match, just like last year, EuroFootball.com offers visitors to remember the six most memorable matches between Madrid's "Real" and "Barcelona".
1973-74 "Real" 0 - 5 "Barcelona"
Johan Cruyff made a real breakthrough at "Barça", the team that had not won the Spanish champions' trophy for 14 years, and crushed "Real" in their own stronghold - the "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium. To this day, this defeat is considered one of the most shameful losses for Real at home.
It was the Dutchman's excellent solo performance - almost running across the entire field, bypassing several "Real" defenders - that led the guests 2-0. That season, "Barca" won the championship title five rounds before the end of the championship.
1984-85 "Real" 0 - 3 "Barcelona"
In the ninth decade of the XX century, there was a real British revolution in the Barcelona team - the new coach Terry Venables brought in Scottish Steve Archibald, English national team player Gary Lineker, and Welsh Mark Hughes.
"Archigoles" as he was later called, S.Archibald shone in those matches, scoring the first goal and contributing to the other two. It was S.Archibald who scored three goals against Real in a 3-2 match at the "Nou Camp” stadium a few seasons later.
1993-94 "Barcelona" 5 - 0 "Real"
In the peak of his career, Brazilian Romario scored a hat-trick in that match and "Barcelona", led by former legend Johan Cruyff, crushed the "Royal" club at the "Nou Camp” stadium.
That season, "Barca" won their fourth consecutive Spanish championship title, but they should be thankful to "Deportivo" defender, Serbian Miroslav Djukic, who missed a last-minute penalty from eleven meters into the "Valencia" goal.
1994-95 "Real" 5 - 0 "Barcelona"
It seems that in this match, "Real" settled scores with "Barca" for the loss at the "Nou Camp” stadium the previous season. Perhaps also for the 1973-74 season.
Chilean Ivan Zamorano scored a hat-trick, while Emilio Amavisca and Luis Enrique, later moving to "Barca" and becoming favorites of the Catalan club's fans, each added a goal. "Real" won the championship by surpassing La Coruña's "Deportivo".
2003-2004 "Barcelona" 1 - 2 "Real"
The result is unspoken because the match was really impressive. This game was probably the toughest for the Portuguese right-back Luis Figo, who a few years earlier moved from… "Barcelona" to "Real". Probably everyone has heard stories about the "Judo betrayal", mobile phones flying on the field, and even a pig's head.
Of course, these matches were not pleasant for the Portuguese - he was whistled every time he touched the ball. But in this match, the last word was from Luis Figo, who helped his team achieve the first "Real" victory at the "Nou Camp" stadium in 19 years. "Barca" retaliated against their opponents in the same season at the "Santiago Bernabeu" stadium with the same result.
2004-2005 "Barcelona" 3 - 0 "Real"
"Barca" demonstrated the capabilities of their excellent, precisely functioning attacking machine and forced many fans to remember "total football".
Former "Real" player, Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o, perhaps offended by the Royal Club's unwillingness to keep him, took advantage of the gaps in "Real" defense and, overcoming the resistance of Roberto Carlos and goalkeeper Iker Casillas, scored the first goal.
The result was doubled by Dutchman Giovanni van Bronckhorst after Ronaldinho's assist, and the main point in the match was scored by the main "Barca" attacking mechanism, Brazilian Ronaldinho, successfully converting S.Eto'o's earned penalty kick.
2005-2006 "Real" ? - ? "Barcelona"
The last meeting of these clubs in April of this year ended with a sweet 4-2 victory for "Real". In that match, there was practically no midfield - the teams demonstrated an aesthetically pleasing attacking football.
Three, five, six goals? Why not, "Barca" attacks excellently, and "Real" defense is not particularly reliable. On the other hand, "Barca's" defense this season is also not shining against high-level teams. Let's wish for beautiful and visually pleasing football, matches that will be remembered in the future among the seven most memorable Real and Barcelona duels!
