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#1 The political history
Not like many rivalries, the animosity between Barcelona and Real Madrid goes way beyond a football pitch.
Stretching back to the Spanish civil war that took place from 1936 to 1939, General Fransisco Franco favoured Real Madrid over Barcelona because the latter stood against his values and principles.
The Catalans represented federalism, republicanism and communism in contrast to the dictator's fascist nationalism.
Also, the hatred took a turn for the worse when Barcelona lost 11-1 to Real Madrid in the 2nd leg of a Copa Del Rey tie. They had grabbed a 3-0 victory but were warned by Franco against winning the next game and hence the result.
That isn't all. Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano was initially destined for Barcelona but wasn't allowed to do so, due to interruption by the Spanish officials.
The rules were bent in Madrid's favour and he ended up at the Bernabeu instead of the Nou Camp.
The political history between the two cities clearly shows how the Catalans have faced injustice at the hands of rulers.
As a result, the despicable nature has crept its way into football, becoming perhaps the most crucial reason why the Barca faithful loathe los Merengues.
