Habeeb Akinfegbe
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, Spainish teams whose latest meeting ended Barcelona 2–1 Real Madrid in the La Liga (Round 28: 23 March 2015) and their next meeting happens today 21 Nov 2015 Real Madrid – Barcelona La Liga (Round 12).
STATISTICS
Meetings
Total Competitive matches: 229
Exhibition matches: 33
Total matches: 262
Most wins
Competitive matches: Real Madrid (92)
Exhibition matches: Barcelona (19)
Total matches: Barcelona (108)
Most player appearances
Xavi Hernández (42)
Top scorer Lionel Messi (21)
This meeting is widely known as El Clásico (Spanish pronunciation: [el ˈklasiko]; Catalan: El Clàssic, pronounced: [əɫ ˈkɫasik];"The Classic"), is the name given in football to any match between fierce rivals Real Madrid C.F. and FC Barcelona.
Originally it referred only to those competitions held in the Spanish championship, but nowadays the term has been generalized, and tends to include every single match between the two clubs in any tournament be it UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey, etc. Other than the UEFA Champions League Final, it is the biggest football club game in the world, and is among the most viewed annual sports events.
The rivalry comes about as Madrid and Barcelona are the two largest cities in Spain, and they are sometimes identified with opposing political positions, with Real Madrid viewed as representing Spanish nationalism and Barcelona viewed as representing Catalan nationalism. The rivalry is regarded as one of the biggest in world sport. The two clubs are among the richest and most successful football clubs in the world; in 2014 they were ranked the world's two most valuable sports teams.
Both clubs have a global fanbase; they are the world's two most followed sports teams on social media. Real Madrid leads the head to head results in competitive matches with 92 wins to Barcelona's 89, while Barcelona leads in total matches with 108 wins to Real Madrid's 96. Along with Athletic Bilbao, they are the only clubs in La Liga to have never been relegated.
Ahead tonight's clash, Rafa Benitez has welcomed having his full squad available for just the second time this season for the huge game against Barcelona. The Real Madrid coach confirmed all ofxKarim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas have recovered from injuries with all three likely to start."It is the second time we have had everyone available," said Benitez. "I have a winning team that has the capacity to still get better."That everyone is fit gives us greater competition. It is important everyone is in the squad and available to play."Barça come into the game with a three-point lead at the top of the table thanks to Real's first defeat of the season at Sevilla last time out. However, despite the Catalans also welcoming back Lionel Messi from a two-month injury layoff, Benitez insisted home advantage makes his team favourites."We are playing in our stadium with our fans, so I think Madrid are the favourites," he said. "We are confident from what we have seen in training. It will be a difficult game, but a great one for the fans."
Luis Suarez and Neymar have been flying for Barcelona in the absence of the injured Lionel Messi, but the Argentine magician could be making his return from a knee injury that has kept him out for the best part of two months just in time for Saturday night's titanic tussle.
Furthermore it was gathered from Spanish daily AS that Barcelona coach Luis Enrique will make a late decision on whether to risk Lionel Messi in the top-of-the-table clash against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday. Messi has not played since injuring his left knee in the win against Las Palmas in September. The 28-year-old took part in a full training session on Wednesday alongside Gerard Pique, Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquets and Marc Bartra, who all returned from international duty with Spain
According to AS, Messi will be handed a fitness test on Friday and start on the bench against Real if he comes through it. AS said the Argentina captain is likely to be named as a substitute and enter the fray in the second half, similar to when he came off the bench to score the winner at Atletico Madrid in September.
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