The ManicaPost
| SPANISH giants Real Madrid and Barcelona play each other at one of the most-awaited matches at Camp Nou in Barcelona on Dec 3. We take a look at some of the most memorable El Clásico contests in the recent past and a few stand-out results from the archives. |
Barcelona 4-0 Real Madrid (2015)
Lionel Messi was missing from the starting line-up due to lack of full-match fitness for this Camp Nou fixture. His absence prompted Sergi Roberto, primarily a midfielder, to be deployed on the right wing. Despite the change, Barcelona started quickly off the blocks and took a 1-0 lead through a Luis Suárez strike in the 11th minute of the game. By the time Messi came off the bench around the hour mark, the home team were 3-0 ahead and in cruise control. The match ultimately ended in a 4-0 hammering of Real Madrid. Munir El Haddadi missed an easy chance at the end to make the scoreline even more embarrassing for the visitors. Rafael Benítez, the then Real Madrid manager, was relieved of his duties not long after.
Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona (2014)
Billed as the Messi-Neymar vs Ronaldo-Bale contest, the 2014 Clásico at the Santiago Bernabeu resulted in a thrilling 4-3 win for the away side. Karim Benzema scored twice to give Real Madrid the lead after Andrés Iniesta opened the scoring in the seventh minute. Messi equalized for Barcelona in 42nd minute but Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike in the 55th minute restored the home side’s lead. However, the Argentine had the last laugh as he scored two more to complete his hat-trick and win the match for Barcelona.
Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona (2014)
Gareth Bale, the world’s most expensive player at the time, showed his worth in the 2014 Copa del Rey final by scoring the winning goal for Real Madrid. With the score level at 1-1, Bale sprinted from the half-line to fire past Jose Pinto and secure the trophy.
Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid (2012)
Real Madrid travelled to Camp Nou for a crucial La Liga clash with Barcelona needing nothing less than a victory to remain in the title race. However, Los Blancos produced a superb performance to win 2-1 and effectively seal the La Liga title. Alexis Sanchez cancelled out Sami Khedira’s 12th minute goal to level the score at 1-1 in the 70th minute. Three minutes late, Mesut Ozil sent Cristiano Ronaldo through on goal and the Portuguese rounded Victor Valdes to score the winner.
Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona (2011)
Lionel Messi’s brilliance ensured a resounding away victory for Barcelona in an ill-tempered first leg of the 2011 UEFA Champions semi-final. Real Madrid defender Pepe was sent off for a challenge on Dani Alves in the 61st minute, following which Messi scored in the 76th and 87th minutes to give Barcelona a crucial win.
Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid (2011)
Real Madrid edged Barcelona 1-0 to win the Copa del Rey in one of the most gripping El Clasicos of recent times. Neither side was able to break the deadlock after 90 minutes, which took the match into extra time. Rising to the occasion, Cristiano Ronaldo scored with a header in the 103rd minute to seal the trophy for Los Merengues.
Barcelona 5-0 Real Madrid (2010)
Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, led by the magical Lionel Messi, produced one of the best Clasico performances of all time to beat Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid 5-0 at the Camp Nou. Though Messi did not score, he provided two assists for Spanish striker David Villa, while Pedro Rodriguez, Xavi and Jeffrén Suárez claimed goals to demolish Los Blancos, who finished the match with 10 men after Sergio Ramos was sent off.
Real Madrid 2-6 Barcelona (2009)
Guardiola’s term at Barcelona brought the Catalans unprecedented success in El Clásicos. One of those performances included a 6-2 thrashing at the Santiago Bernabeu that saw Thierry Henry, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique and Lionel Messi get their names on the score sheet.
Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid (2007)
No Barcelona player had scored a hat-trick in El Clasico since Romario’s treble in 1994 but 19-year-old Messi rewrote history books with a scintillating display to secure a draw for 10 men Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s brace and Sergio Ramos’s header were cancelled out by the Argentinian, who announced himself on the biggest stage in Spanish football
Real Madrid 0-3 Barcelona (2005)
Fans applauding the opponent is rarely seen when it comes to matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona. However, Brazilian magician Ronaldinho conjured up two wonderful individual goals at the Santiago Bernabeu to hand La Blaugrana a commanding 3-0 win over their bitter rivals. Such was the magnificence of the Brazilian’s performance that even the generally hostile home fans gave him a standing ovation.
Barcelona 0-0 Real Madrid (2002)
Despite ending goalless, the 2002 clash at Camp Nou was one of the most explosive matches in El Clasico history. Luis Figo, who left Barcelona to join Real Madrid in 2000, returned to his former club and faced an unprecedented backlash from the home fans, who hurled cigarette lighters and bottles along with their abuses at the Portuguese.
Real Madrid 5-0 Barcelona (1995)
A hat-trick from Chilean star Ivan Zamorano helped lead Real to a emphatic victory over their arch rivals in the 1994-95 league season. More significantly, though, the win came in Michael Laudrup’s first El Clasico for the home side since his controversial.
Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (1987)
England striker Gary Lineker etched his name into El Clasico history as his hat-trick saw off Real Madrid at the Camp Nou in a Barcelona team managed by Terry Venables. Despite the victory, La Blaugrana lost the 1986-87 title to Madrid by a single point.
Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid (1960)
Six years after starring in an iconic 5-0 league defeat of Barcelona, Alfredo di Stefano led Real to a brace of 3-1 El Clasico victories home and away in the European Cup semi-finals at a time when Barca were bettering them in the Spanish league. Madrid turned on the style in the final, thrashing Eintracht Frankfurt 7-3 at Glasgow’s Hampden Park in a match widely held to be one of the greatest in the history of the beautiful game. — msnsports
