Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Ranking the 5 greatest goalkeepers in El Clasico history

#3 Juanito Alonso (Real Madrid)

Juanito Alonso (top left) with his Real Madrid mates (Photo courtesy: Twitter)

A starter at Real Madrid for a mind-boggling 14 seasons, Juanito Alonso walks onto this list of the greatest El Clasico goalkeepers. While his record against Barcelona might seem a little underwhelming, having kept just three clean sheets in 15 El Clasicos, Alonso has a much better overall record with eight wins.

While Keylor Navas' three successive Champions League wins are indeed a rare accomplishment for a goalkeeper, he pales in comparison to Alonso's record with Real Madrid. The consistent Spaniard was a core member of the Los Blancos side that romped to an unfathomable five consecutive European Cup titles between 1955-1960.

Having represented Real Madrid in 297 official matches, a mysterious lung problem and a broken collarbone ended his career in the Spanish capital. The legendary goalkeeper succumbed to his numerous ailments in 1994, aged 66.

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#2 Andoni Zubizarreta (Barcelona)

Zubizarreta unveiling Luis Suarez at Barcelona

Widely regarded as the greatest player ever to appear between the sticks for Barcelona, Andoni Zubizarreta was a firm commander on the pitch. Zubizarreta was the most capped Spanish player for a brief period of time, amassing 126 appearances for his national side.

The fact that he is still the record appearance-maker in La Liga with 622 games, 23 years after his retirement, is a testament to his longevity. The Barcelona shot-stopper was also a hero for his side in El Clasicos, conceding 31 goals in 25 encounters with Real Madrid.

Zubizarreta came out on top in 10 of the aforementioned instances, losing nine El Clasicos. The level-headed professional retired at the age of 37, playing his last game for Valencia. He later returned to Barcelona as their director of football, a post that he has since vacated.

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#1 Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)

Casillas captained Madrid in numerous El Clasicos

The undisputed number one choice at Real Madrid as well as on this list, Iker Casillas was an absolute legend during his playing days. The loyal servant of Los Blancos was a nightmare for opposition forwards, refusing to back down at the time of crisis. He had a similar showing in the El Clasicos against rivals Barcelona.

During his 16-year spell with Real Madrid, Casillas faced the Blaugrana a whopping 37 times. While he did end up on the losing side on 15 occasions, Casillas was instrumental in the 12 wins and 10 draws that Real Madrid mustered.

'San Iker', as he is fondly addressed by his fans, remains a highly respected figure. Despite their everlasting animosity, both sets of El Clasico fans still admire the legendary goalkeeper due to his invaluable contribution to Spanish football. A brilliant footballer and a humble person, Casillas will undoubtedly go down as the best shot-stopper in Real Madrid's history.

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