El Clasico: 5 answers to questions people ask about Spain's most intense rivalry

For the first time this season, Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid will face each other when La Blaugrana welcome their bitter rivals to the Nou Camp on Sunday in a highly anticipated match which could influence the confidence level of each side.

Football fans are looking forward to witnessing what this great match will produce in the absence of Barcelona legend Lionel Messi, who misses out through a fractured arm injury, and his Portuguese counterpart, Cristiano Ronaldo, who left the Spanish capital to join Serie A outfit Juventus this summer.

We all know how famous El Clasico is, and as every hour passes by, football fans can't help but ask several questions regarding this great fixture. Therefore, we have taken some time to look at the top 5 questions, and provided answers to each of them.

#5 Is El Clasico a derby?

Normally in football, a derby is a match that is played between two teams from the same town, city, or region. It is a local match between two fierce rivals who struggle to dominate and claim the bragging rights in their locality.

Examples of derbies include the Manchester derby, North London derby, Milan derby, the Ruhr derby, and the Catalan derby. All these are games that are played between teams from the same geographical areas, not exceeding the town/city/region level.

From this dimension, El Clasico cannot be termed a derby match because FC Barcelona and Real Madrid are not in the same locality. FC Barcelona is located in the city of Barcelona, the Catalan capital, while Real Madrid is a team from Madrid, the capital of Spain, and they are more than 300 miles apart.

However, while Barca and Los Blancos don't co-exist in the same city or town, they do co-exist in a much broader region together, Spain, and thier battle to be the alpha team in the region has been so intense that it makes it a derby, although unconventional to the norm in football.

#4 El Clasico - Where did the name come from?

This is the question many people are finding an answer for. The term 'El Clasico' has gained a lot of recognition over the years, forcing football fans to ask questions regarding how it came into existence.

Initially, the clash between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid was called 'El Derbi' in Spain, while El Clasico was reserved for the matches between Boca Juniors and River Plate, a strong rivalry in Argentina.

However, Barcelona's rise to prominence in the 1990s forced a rename, and the clash between the two Spanish giants became known as El Clasico, which simply means 'The Classic' with regards to the intense encounters among the two clubs - with almost every clash between the two sides living up to that billing, and producing classical games every season.

#3 When was the first El Clasico played?

While El Clasico has been a classic match between Real Madrid and Barcelona in the past few years, it is important we look at what happened when these two teams met for the first time in the history of this great fixture.

Barcelona and Real Madrid met for the first time in the semifinals of the Copa Coronación in 1902. The tournament was organised to celebrate the 16-year crowning of Alfonso XIII. It was also the first ever football competition that involved clubs from various parts of Spain.

The match was played at the Hippodrome in La Castellana, one of Madrid’s biggest streets, where the Santiago Bernabéu currently stands. The game started with great intensity, but La Blaugrana were able to beat their rivals 3-1 in the Spanish capital on that day.

Steinberg scored a brace, while Henry Morris scored another as the Catalans made it to the final. Arthur Johnson scored the solitary goal for Los Blancos in this great encounter.

#2 Who is the all time top scorer of El Clasico?

Lionel Messi is currently the all-time scorer of this great fixture

El Clasico has witnessed a lot of great players in its long and illustrious history. In fact, some of the greatest footballers the world has seen have participated in this great clash. Many fantastic players have immortalised their names by racking up goals on this wonderful stage.

However, it is Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi who is currently the all-time scorer of El Clasico. The Argentine has been the most influential player in the history of this great fixture, with a lot of unbelievable performances and untouchable records.

He has cemented his place as the most prolific attacker in this clash, with 26 goals to his name. He managed to reach this fantastic height in just 38 appearances for La Blaugrana.

Out of his 26 goals, 18 have come in LaLiga, 6 have come in the Spanish Super Cup, while the remaining 2 came in the UEFA Champions League. His closest rivals are Real Madrid legends, Alfredo Di Stéfano and Cristiano Ronaldo, who both have 18 goals to their names.

#1 Which club is dominant in El Clasico?

Real Madrid have a very slight advantage

One major reason why El Clasico is so special is that it has never been a one-sided affair. In fact, the clash has always lived up to its name, with great intensity and a constant fight for prestige.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have very close records in this great game. However, when it comes to selecting a winner, Los Blancos have a very slight edge over their rivals.

The two teams have met 237 times in all competitions. Los Galacticos have won 95, Barca have won 92, and they have played 50 draws. Los Blancos have more goals (401) than their bitter rivals' (386) in this intense fixture.

Real Madrid also dominates the fight for the victory with the biggest margin. They defeated the Catalans 11-1 on June 29, 1943. Barcelona's largest victory came on 24 September 1950 when they defeated Los Blancos 7-2 in an interesting encounter.

Edited by Anthony Akatugba Jr.