TEMPO.CO, Madrid - El Classico between Real Madrid and Barcelona will rock Santiago Bernabeu tonight. The most-awaited match between Spain giants holds some interesting facts to know, starting from Messi’s record to Luis Suarez debut.
- Since 1902, both Los Blancos and Blaugrana have been involved in a tense rivalry. Both teams have taken on each other for 228 with Madrid leading the statistic 91-88. Madrid also have collected more goals 385 versus Barca’s 371 goals.
- Lionel Messi has been the top scorer in El Classico history with 21 goals, or three goals ahead of Real’s Alfredo Di Stefano. Meanwhile, Real Madrid start Ronaldo sits on the seventh on the list with 13 goals.
- Messi has the chance to carve his name in EL Classico record equaling the 60-year-old most-goal-record of Telmo Zarra (251 goals).
- Most-celebrated victory in the El Classico history belongs to Madrid. Los Blancos had once strangled Barca 11-1 in Copa del Rey held on June 13, 1943. In La Liga, Madrid’s biggest victory was 8-2 (February 1935), and Barca’s biggest victory was 7-2 (September 1950).
- Real Madrid had collected 51 winnings, 18 loses, and 15 draws, out of 84 La Liga matches held in Santiago Bernabeu.
- Tonight’s El Classico will be stage for Luis Suarez to perform his debut with Barcelona after the Uruguayan finished his four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini in the 2014 World Cup.
UEFA | NURDIN