The rivalry that has dominated the headlines for decades resumes on Saturday when Real Madrid travel to the Camp Nou to take on their arch-rivals Barcelona. While Real Madrid have begun the season in the best possible fashion and currently sit in the top spot, The Catalans have stuttered their way to the third spot in La Liga and would be wary of the lead that their rivals are building in the league.
However, all that will be forgotten when the two sides lock horns on Saturday, with players expected to go into the game with the intensity demanded to ensure that their team comes out on top. We have been privy to some exceptional performances in the El Clasicos over the time and in this segment, we take a look at 5 of the best individual performances in the fixture over time.
#5 Gareth Bale (2014)
Bale had moved to Real Madrid at the start of the 2013-14 season at what was then a world record fee and the expectations were high frpm the player. However, the Welshman took some time adapting to life in Spain and with the riches of Real Madrid ensuring the fight for starting spot was as intense as ever, Bale was restricted to a bit-part role. However, Bale grew with the season and perhaps, his most impressive and vital performance for the Los Blancos came in the Copa Del Ray final against their arch-rivals in Valencia.
Real had taken the lead through a Di Maria goal before Marc Bartra equalised and the match was poised for an exciting finish. However, Barcelona’s goal scorer was then served a Bale special, when the Welshman showcased his strength and pace to outrun him from the halfway line and scored the winner for his club with just over 5 minutes left for the game to end.
It was his first goal in the El Clasicos and what a way it was to begin goal scoring against their arch-rivals and the goal will definitely continue to haunt the Barcelona fans and inspire the Real Madrid faithful for decades to come.
#4 Lionel Messi (2006)
While there was no doubt that Lionel Messi was going to take the footballing world by the storm, given his performances at a very young age, it was actually in the 2006-07 season, in which he did suffer a troubling injury, he rose to prominence as one of the best players in Europe. It was the first time he broke the 10 goal mark as a player and one of his most memorable performances came in the game against Real Madrid late in the season despite the game finishing in a stalemate.
It seemed like a battle between two supremely talented players when Ruud Van Nistelrooy’s goals were equalised twice by Messi in the first half. However, Sergio Ramos scored in the middle of the second half to bring despair to the home fans and the match was headed towards a loss for the Catalan giants before Messi ensured that the points were split in the 90th minute by scoring Barcelona’s third equaliser.
Messi became the first man in 12 years to score a hat-trick in the El Clasico and that day is deemed by many as the day that the legend of Lionel Messi was truly born.
#3 Diego Maradona (1983)
The Argentine, believed to be one of the finest players to have graced the pitch spent a rather short time at Barcelona between 1982 and 1984, featuring in 58 appearances. He scored goals for fun, finding the back of the net on 38 occasions during his time at the club and was responsible for the success the club enjoyed during the time.
However, it was his performance against Barcelona in June 1983 when he showcased his an audacity that a player only of his caliber could that truly stands out for the player. The player skipped past defenders and the goal keeper only to find himself in front of an open goal and never one to miss out on the fun, he stopped to let the approaching Real Madrid defender crash into the post before slotting home the ball.
Such was the piece of skill demonstrated that even the Real Madrid fans, who are not always generous in their reviews of the Barcelona players applauded his abilities, in the process making him one of the first players in the world to be applauded by the Real Madrid faithful in a Barcelona jersey.
#2 Alfredo Di Stefano (1953)
Alfredo Di Stefano has been regarded as one of the most complete players of all times by learned pundits over the years. The Saeta Rubia (Blonde Arrow) was a powerful forward who used his strength and skill to great effect to leave defenders reeling during his time at Real Madrid and could be singled out as the man who helped the club establish itself at the helm of affairs in football owing to his performances in the Spanish League and the European Cups.
The player was a rather unknown entity when he arrived on the Spanish shores from Millonarios in 1953. Despite having scored almost one goal per game during his time at the Colombian club, the player still had to prove himself at Real Madrid and he did so with aplomb in his first ever El Clasico meeting.
The fixture arrived just 2 weeks after he had signed for the club and the player made sure he left his lasting mark on the fixture by finding the back of the net on 10th and the 85th minute to ensure that his side ran out comfortable 5-0 winners at home against the Catalan giants. The game was one of the first indications of what was to come and the player definitely went on to take the game by the scruff of the neck during his time with the club.
#1 Ronaldinho (2005)
Ronaldinho can be deemed as one of the reasons that the millions across the globe were attracted towards the game in the 2000’s. The Brazilian magician, who could weave his way through even the toughest of defenses, was a prolific presence upfront for the Catalan giants and scored 94 times in 207 appearances.
However, goals, tricks and some mesmerizing moves aside, it was in the game against Real Madrid in November 2005 that truly speaks volumes about the player’s abilities. The Brazilian tore open the Real Madrid defense at will and was largely responsible for his side running out 3-0 victors, as he scored 2 crucial goals in the 2nd half to help Barcelona beat their arch-rivals.
Perhaps, the most beautiful moment of the game came after Ronaldinho had scored his side’s third goal when the home support of Real Madrid joined in unison to pay homage to one of the finest players of all times by applauding him, in the process, etching the moment in the glorious memoirs of the beautiful game.
The Brazilian was only the 2nd Barcelona player to have ever been applauded in this fashion by the Real Madrid fans after Diego Maradona and said at the end of the game, “I will never forget this because it is very rare for any footballer to be applauded in this way by the opposition fans.”
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