5 Reasons why the El Clasico is now more popular than ever

#2 Decreasing global popularity of other derbies

The once popular Milan Derby has lost its popularity over the years

While derbies are still a critical part of local culture and tradition, most of the derbies have lost their global significance over the years. Not technically a derby match, the El Clasico has built its popularity over the failure of other famous matches. In Italy, the Milan Derby was once considered to be one of the most promising matches but the failure of both the Milan teams over the past few years has led to a dip in the average viewerships of Derby di Milano. South American derbies are one of the most aggressive and showcase sheer footballing spirit, but a marketing failure of the local leagues are an impediment. France and Germany don't offer a lot of promising clashes and are therefore considered as some of the easiest leagues to play in, at least in recent times.

Manchester United v Liverpool: A Premier League Classic

In the Premier League, the much vaunted Merseyside Derby has lost its class and competitive nature. Other clashes like the North London Derby have also died out in the popularity charts. The Manchester Derby still remains a solid match, but United has failed to report any significant success after Sir Alex Ferguson's departure. The highly anticipated match between United and Liverpool has also lost its sheen over the years.

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, on the other hand, are the two most successful clubs in Europe (all competitions) and continue to deliver thrilling encounters with alarming regularity.