EL CLASICO: BARCELONA VS REAL MADRID

El Clasico (The Classic) is a football match between Spain clubs Barcelona and Real Madrid. This match is considered as one of the biggest football games in the world and their rivaly is regarded as one of the biggest in the world of sport. Madrid and Barcelona are two biggest cities in Spain and this rivaly is sometimes connected with two different political options. Real is presenting Spanish nacionalist while FC Barcelona is considered as a simbol of Catalonia. Both this clubs are one of the most successful in the world. This clubs (with Athletic Bilbao) are the only clubs in La Liga that have never been relegated.

Since 1930s Barcelona has a reputation as a simbol of Catalan identity as a opposition to centralising tendencies of Madrid. This rivaly had become even bigger during the dictatorship of Francisco Franco. During history of this derby probobly the most known match is from Copa del Rey in 1943. Second match of the semi-final of Spain cup Real won 11-1 (first was 0-3 for Barcelona). This match is the largest victory of this derby but very controversial. Barcelona had to lose this match because Franco said that he will kill them if they win in this game. In a half an hour Real Madrid already had 2-0 lead. Till half time Real scored 6 more goals. In the last minute of the second half Barcelona scored one goal and match finished 11-1. Fernando Argila who was Barca reserve goalkeeper said that there was no such a big rivaly until this game. Real went into final but they lost from Athletic Bilbao and it was some kind of punishment for them.

-Real Madrid and Barcelona from 1942/43 season

Here in this article you can see probobly all players who played for both clubs. One of the most controversial transfer is from Alfredo Di Stefano. His transfer made this rivaly even bigger. While he was playing for Los Millionarios (todays Millonarios FC) he had impressed both Barcelona and Real. Both of them wanted to sing him but there was a problem because Di Stefano moved to Los Millionarios from River Plate. Di Stefano and some other footballers organized a strike because of footballers payments. After almost a year of fight government made a decision that maximum payment can be 1500 pesos. Because of that lot of players went to play in Colombia same as Di Stefano. So both River and Millionarios claimed that they have rights on him. Barcelona made a deal with Argentinian club and he went to Barcelona. But General Franco affected on Spain football federation and they have brought a new law in which is forbidden to sign players from abroad. Di Stefano was already three months in Barcelona but he couldn't play official matches. From the other side Real made a deal with Colombian club. Later FIFA made a decision in which they said that he can stay in Spain for four years and he will play alternately one season for each club. Barcelona later gave up on Di Stefano transfer because they didn't want to pay Di Stefano debts to Millonarios because Real already did that. Barcelona had to do that underpressure of General Franco. Alfredo later said that: „I was in Barcelona for three months and I couldn't play. I came to Real and everything was fixed. The next day I was already playing a friendly match.“ Di Stefano later became a Real Madrid legend.

Other controversial transfer is from Luis Figo who moved from Barcelona to Real in 2000. In 2002 during El Clasico played at Camp Nou, Barcelona fans were throwing pig's head at him while he was taking a corner kick.  

Last footballer who played for both is Javier Saviola. In summer of 2007 Real signed him after his contract with Barcelona had expired. There were also footballers who played for B team of one club and later for A team of other club.

Only two coaches have managed both clubs. They are: Enrique Fernandez Viola and Radomir Antić. Antić is also the only person who coached both Real and Barcelona and also Atletico Madrid.

To this date 270 El Clasico matches had been played (23 Decembar 2017- their last meeting). Real have 99 wins, Barca 112 while 59 matches finished as draw. Barcelona have 92 trophies and Real 88. In this list are also included some defunct tournaments like Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, Copa Eva Duarte...   

Now list of all players/coaches who had connection with both clubs.

Albert Celades: Celades is a product of Barcelona youth school. He played in Barcelona four seasons then went to Celta and later to Real. He won four La Liga titles, two with each of them. He also won UEFA Cup Winners Cup in Barcelona and Champions League with Real...

Alfonso Albeniz: Albeniz is the first footballer who played for both of them. In 1902 he moved from Barcelona to Real. 

Alfonso Navarro: He started his career in Catalan club where he played for four seasons and then played one season for Real. He later came back to Barcelona. 

Alfonso Perez: Product of Real youth school. He later, through Betis, moved to Barcelona. He won La Liga with Madrid's club...

Alfredo Di Stefano: I already wrote about him. Di Stefano played 11 years for Los Blancos. He won 8 Primera Division titles, 5 Champion Leagues... He scored more then 300 goals in almost 400 matches. He was also a Real coach for three seasons.

Amador Lorenzo: Real brought him to Castilla from Pontevedres. He made his debut for A team in 1977 do to injuries of first two goalkeepers. After only two seasons in A team and one league title he moved to Hercules and then to Barcelona. He stayed in Barcelona for six seasons but played only eight league matches. He won there league title, two Copa del Rey, UEFA Cup Winners Cup...   

Arsenio Comamala: He played 8 seasons in Barcelona then moved to Real in 1911 and stayed there for two seasons. He won Spain cup with Catalan club and some other less important trophies. 

Bernd Schuster: Barcelona bought him from Koln in 1980. He was an important player of Barcelona during 80s. He won La Liga, UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Copa del Rey... In 1988 he moved to Real and stayed there for two seasons. In both of them he won league title. 

Charles Wallace: No much informations about this footballer. He played for Barcelona in 1907 then Real in 1908 and again Barcelona till 1911. He was capitan of Barcelona, vice-president and member of the board of the directors. He won Championship of Catalona three times. 

Daniel Garcia Lara "Dani": He made his debut for A team in 1994. He came from their youth sistem. He didn't played much for A team and two seasons went on loan to Zaragoza. Madrid sold him to Mallorca and Mallorca to Barcelona. He stayed in Barcelona four years. He won La Liga and Champions League title with Los Blancos.  

Enrique Fernandez Viola: Uruguayan footballer played one season for Barcelona and later managed both clubs. While he was Barcelona coach Viola won two Primera Divisions and he added another one with Real. 

Evaristo: Brazilian footballer came to Barcelona in 1957. After five seasons and about 110 league matches he moved to Real. There he played only 17 league matches in two years. 

Fernand Goyvaerts: Barcelona bought him from Club Brugge. After three seasons he moved to Real but do to injuries didn't played much.

Gheorghe Hagi: He came to Real after World Cup 1990. Hagi played to seasons with Madrid, then was sold to Brescia. After great performances at WC 1994, Barcelona bought him. As in Real he also played in Barcelona for two seasons. With both of them we won Spain Supercup. 

Javier Saviola: He came to Barcelona from River Plate. He stayed in Catalona for four seasons plus two which he spent on loan. After his contract expired Real signed him. 123 league matches for Barcelona and only 17 for Madrid. He won La Liga in Real jersey. 

Jesus Maria Pereda: Only one season in Madrid where he won league and European Cup titles. Through some other clubs he came to Barcelona and stayed for eight years. He won two Copa del Rey and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

Jordi Lopez: Product of Barcelona youth school but he never played for A team, only for B and C. He later came to Madrid and played for Real B and only two league matches for A team.

 

Jose Mourinho: Mourinho was Barcelona assistant coach from 1996 to 2000. There he was assistant to Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal. He was later Real coach for three seasons and won one La Liga title, cup and supercup. 

Jose Quirante: Quirante played in Barcelona for about ten years and on two seasons Barca loaned him to Real. He was also Real coach for two seasons. 

Josep Samitier: Barcelona legend where he played from 1919 to 1933. He won one league title. After Barca he played for Real. Two seasons in Madrid and he won his second La Liga title. Another league title as Barcelona coach. 

Juan Hilario: Five seasons in Real and winner of first two league titles for the club. Hilario later played in Barcelona for one season. 

Julen Lopetegui: Only six league matches combined for both clubs. He won La Liga with Real. After great matches with Logrones and being part of Spain squad at 1994 World Cup, Barca bought him. As in Real he was also in Barcelona second or third choice keeper. 

 

Justo Tejada: Barcelona brought him from some smaller club from same city. He stayed there for eight seasons and was twice winner of La Liga, Spain cup and Inter-Cities Fairs Cup. After Barca he played for Los Blancos. In Madrid he won two league titles and one cup.

Luciano Lizarraga: One season with each of them. No much info about him. 

Lucien Muller: France midfielder came to Real from Reims. Three seasons in Real and as much for Barcelona. He came to Catalona from Madrid. Three league titles in Real jersey. 

Luis Enrique: He came to Real from Sporting Gijon. He was Real player for five years and after his contract expired he came to Barcelona. Barca fans were not happy about his arrival. But he stayed in club for eight seasons and was a club captain. He was much successful in Catalona where he won seven trophies and in Real only three. He was Barcelona B and A coach. He won nine more trophis as Blaugrana coach. 

Luis Figo: Already mentioned before. Five seasons and seven major trophies with each of them. 

Luis Milla: Milla played for only three clubs: Barcelona, Real and Valencia. He is product of Barcelona youth school. He moved to Real on a free transfer. He was Spain champion once with Barca and twice with Real. He also won several other titles in those clubs. 

Michael Laudrup: After six years in Italy he came to Spain, Barcelona. He was one of the key players there along with Koeman and Stoichkov. He stayed there for five seasons and won several major trophies such as La Liga, Champions League, UEFA Supercup... Do to some problems with Cruyff he moved to Real. He stayed there for two seasons and won one league title. 

Miquel Soler: He played for both biggest clubs in Barcelona and Madrid. He started his career in Espanyol then Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, again Barcelona, Sevilla and Real... Four major trophies with Barca and none in Real. 

Fernando Munoz Garcia "Nando": After Sevilla he came to Barcelona. Nando stayed there for two seasons and won two Primera Division and Champions League. After that, Nando came back to Sevilla but was immediately bought by Barca rivals Real Madrid. He won La Liga, cup and supercup.

Radomir Antić: Second person who coached both Real and Barcelona. He didn't won any trophy. In Barcelona he promoted Victor Valdes and Iniesta. 

Ricardo Zamora: Three seasons in Barcelona and six in Real. The award for the best goalkeepr in La Liga is named after him. He won two league titles in Real and four Copa del Rey (two with each of this clubs). 

Robert Prosinečki: After a great season with Serbian Crvena Zvezda he came to Real Madrid and played there for three seasons. After injury problems Real offloaded him to Oviedo. After a great season in Oviedo, Barcelona bought him from Real where he was still under contract. "Žuti" played in Barca for one season. He won two trophies in Real: Spain cup and supercup.

Roberto Trashorras: Roberto comes from Barcelona youth school. He played only one league match for A team. From Barca Trashorras moved to Real Madrid B team but never played for A squad. 

Ronaldo Nazario de Lima: Legendary Brazilian footballer played for both Barcelona and Real but through Inter. Barcelona bought him from PSV for then a world record transfer. He stayed only one season there but it was a great season for him and Barcelona. He scored 47 goals in 49 matches. He won three trophies in one season: UEFA Cup Winners Cup, Spain cup and supercup. After five yeras in Italian giant Inter he came back to Spain to Madrid. He played there for four and half seasons. Four major trophies there: two La Liga, Intercontinental Cup and Spain Supercup. 

Samuel Eto'o: Eto'o jointed Real youth academy in 1997. He played about seven matches for the club. From Real Eto'o went to Mallorca and then to Barcelona and scored 130 goals in 199 matches during 5 seasons. Eight major trophies there: three La Liga, two Champions Leagues...

Walter Rositzky: He played for Barcelona in 1911-13 before leaving it to play for Real Madrid until 1915. When World War I started he went into German army. 

Juande Ramos: He was one season Barcelona B coach and later, also one season, on Real's bench.