Real Madrid v.s Barcelona
The Real Madrid vs Barcelona rivalry dates back to the begining of time. But probably can be dated back to 1920, when monarch Alfonso XIII gave Madrid the royal seal of approval with the Catalans expressing their rage from this kind of favouritism (current Spanish King and Queen are also Real Madrid supporters, with the King doing everything possible to see every match that Real Madrid plays). But the hate between these two clubs hit another high point during the Spanish civil war (1936-39) when the regime of dictator Francisco Franco started, also a self declared Real Madrid supporter as well. The Catalonia area (City of Barcelona etc) was one of few places in Spain that Franco had resistance to his regime and subsequently to this, he persecuted the region with a fierce hand, very similar to how Gestapo put fear during WW2. In fact the only place of peace and a place that Catalans could speak without fear, was at the Nou Camp when Barcelona was playing. Franco having his head seat in Madrid therefore associated himself with Real Madrid, especially during their success years with di Stefano, Puskas, Gento etc in the late 50s and most of the 60s.
But the true high point of hate started after the death of Franco in 1975, when freedom of expression, the fear of not getting prosecuted for crossing the street etc was restored, the rivalry has become even more intensified and violent. With media being covered with hate for the other clubs in respective cities.
Real Madrid and Barcelona supporters when analysing a season will first of all look at the matches they had between themselves, before actually looking on how they went in La Liga and other competitions. Nearly accepting that their respective teams do bad in La Liga, CL and Copa, just as long as they beat each other when they meet in La Liga and other matches.
Barcelona also still feels that Real Madrid are getting to many favors from the Spanish government and a couple of times will make a statement about it, especially if they are not doing to well themselves. Barcelona board recently expressed their feelings when Real Madrid was given a large and valuable property by the City of Madrid, property that Real Madrid used to build the new Sports Complex and with the left over sold back to cover $150-180 million US dollars that they had in debts.
Former Barcelona coach, Bobby Robson once said: "Barcelona versus Real Madrid is the only fixture in the world that can draw so man fans twice a year, every year. Throw into the equation all the history, all the media attention and you are looking at a powder keg."
The biggest sin that a player for Real Madrid or Barcelona can do is to go to the opposite club. The response to these kind of transfers (which are rare) is filled with hate for the player. The player will be yelled at every second he has the ball, if possible objects will be thrown at the player, both at and after the match. Even trips to the players new home might happend. Players that has made this choice are usually also star players which also is a big insult to the other supporters but also a great laugh for the receiving supporters.
These transactions are also usually bad for the club that buy the player, since usually the player do not manage to live up to his past greatness. German Bernd Schuster never fulfilled his potential after making the switch. The last player to go between the two clubs Luis Figo had a good first season at Real Madrid but his second season can only be classified as poor. In fact after his first away match to Barcelona the player received such hostile welcome, he did not play the two matches against Barcelona in his second season (1 due to injury, but the second many supporters felt he argued with the referee (Quarter final vs B.Munchen) to give him a yellow card so that he had to sit out the first leg (away) in the CL Semi final 2002). Other famous players to go to the other side were: Danish maestro Michael Laudrup, Luis Enrique.
These transfers are rare since both clubs hate having to do business with each other, one example is the transfer of Albert Celades from Celta Vigo to Real Madrid. Real Madrid wanted to buy Celades from Barcelona, but Barcelona did not want to sell to Real Madrid. Celta Vigo came in and made a deal with Real Madrid that they would buy him and keep him for a year, and then sell him to Real Madrid instead. Celades joined Real Madrid 1 year later from Celta Vigo.
Real Madrid Trophy Chamber
Spanish Champions: 29 times
Copa Del Rey Champions: 17 times
Super Copa Champions: 5 times
Liga Cup Champions: 1 time
European Champions Cup Winners: 8 times
UEFA Cup Champions: 2 times
Intercontinental Cup (Toyota Cup) Champions: 2 times
Latin Cup Champion: 2 times
Little World Cup Champion: 2 times
Barcelona Trophy Chamber
Spanish Champions: 16 times
Copa del Rey Champions: 24 times
Super Copa Champions: 9 times
European Champions Cup winners: 1 time
UEFA Cup Champions: 3 times
Cup winners Cup: 4 times
European Super Cup: 2 times
A Tale of Two Cities.
The two giants of Spanish football have long been among the fiercest rivals in world football, with a mutual animosity rivalled only by Argentina's River Plate and Boca Juniors and our very own Old Firm. Jonathan Adams takes a look at the history of the best attended fixture in world sports.
The Spanish Primera Liga may only have existed since 1928, yet the deep-seated rivalry between the renegades from Catalonia (Barcelona) and the aristocrats from Castile (Real Madrid) dates back hundreds of years. Like the football teams which now embody their collective hopes and dreams, the two regions have been locked in a series of power struggles dating back as far as medieval times. More recently, Catalonia was the main hotbed of resistance towards Madrid-based dictator General Franco during the Spanish Civil War and his years of totalitarian rule, leading to the isolation of Catalonia. This regional animosity has if anything intensified in the subsequent years of "peace and democracy" and has served to fuel the passion and hatred (a distinction that is often difficult to make on derby day) between the opposing fans.
The matches between the two sides are always fraught and tend to reflect the struggle for supremacy in the Primera Liga, usually a straightforward contest between Real and Barca. While both sides have historically prevailed in their home matches, Barcelona have been particularly domineering in their intimidating Camp Nou in recent years, with Real having failed to notch a victory away from home since 1983. The explanation for this probably has much to do with the atmosphere in the stadium as the quality of the football, as Camp Nou houses 120,000 screaming fanatics for each and every home game and boasts the world record for the number of season ticket holders at 102,000. While Real's own cauldron is home to a gargantuan 105,000 souls, Barca have notched victories in Madrid as recently as 1997 and 1994, results which blighted both those seasons for the team from the capital. During his time as manger of Barcelona, Bobby Robson noted that; "Barcelona and Real Madrid is the only fixture in the world that draws more than 100,000 fans twice a year. Throw into the equation all the history, all the media attention and you are looking at a powder keg."
One thing that Barcelona cannot claim is the European pedigree of their great rivals. Real Madrid are recognized as the most successful club side on the planet with 8 European Cups and a host of other domestic, continental and world-wide accolades in their full-to-bursting trophy room, their most recent successes coming in the Champions League's of 1998 and 2000. Last year's final was particularly memorable, as Real became the first side to win the trophy against a side from their own country after defeating Valencia in Paris. However, it is the Real Madrid team of the 1950's and 60's which ranks as the greatest ever in the annals of club football. European champions for an unprecedented 5 consecutive years from 1956 to 1960 and again in 1966, Real Madrid are the only club to have been allowed to keep the trophy, ensuring that the names of then captain Di Stefano and chairman Santiago Bernabeu (whom their magnificent stadium is named after) will forever live on in Madrid. Barcelona last claimed the European Cup in 1992 and the somewhat less prestigious Cup-Winner's Cup in 1996, yet these two successes represent rare victories on the European stage for the Catalonians. They failed even to qualify for this season's Champions League despite its extension to 32 teams and although they are well placed to succeed in the UEFA Cup, this will go down as yet another disappointing season in Europe for the team in blue and red.
The two clubs became embroiled in fresh controversy last summer over the transfer of Portuguese international Luis Figo from Barcelona to Real Madrid for a world record fee of £41 million. Once the pride of Catalonia but now considered an outlaw by the denizens of Camp Nou, the charismatic playmaker was pelted with missiles including coins, bottles and even shoes for the duration of their meeting in the Catalan capital last October, a fixture which was predictably enough won by Barcelona. Figo is perhaps surprisingly not the only player to have made the transition from Castile to Catalonia (or vice versa) as Luis Enrique, now one of Barcelona's favourite sons, wore the white of Real Madrid as recently as 1996 while Danish legend Michael Laudrup and the mercurial Hugo Sanchez have also crossed the great divide. Missiles are not, however, reserved merely for defectors, as Real Madrid and Brazil defender Roberto Carlos found to his cost in 1997 when he was floored by a metal cigarette lighter. Hostilities are also not confined to the pitch, as evidenced by the refusal of Real president Lorenzo Sanz to attend future matches at Camp Nou after coming to blows with Barca vice-president Jose Gaspart in 1997.
("Tale of two cities" taken from
http://www.btinternet.com/~deiz/real.html by Jonathan Adams)
Verder is deze site helemaal mooi, speciaal opgebouwd voor deze match!
http://derby.magikstar.net/
"En esta fabrica, en este Estadio, hicimos realidad todos nuestros sueños" Alfredo Di Stefano