Five memorable El Classico matches as Real Madrid, Barcelona clash

• Barcelona vs Real Madrid El Classico is one of the most-watched matches in the world 
• The two La Liga giants are set to clash this weekend as Barca play host
• Here are five memorable past El Classico matches the football world can never forget

Barcelona is set to host Real Madrid for an eagerly anticipated clash on Saturday, with only one point differentiating the two teams in the La Liga standings. This much-anticipated El Clasico encounter at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys holds the potential to significantly influence the trajectory of the title race, although the unexpected early contenders Girona might also play a crucial role in the season’s outcome.

Below, we reminisce about five remarkable encounters between these two dominant forces in Spanish football.

Barcelona 5 Real Madrid 1 – October 2018

Barca romped to a stunning home win with a performance driven by a sensational Luis Suarez hat-trick. Philippe Coutinho opened the scoring after 11 minutes before Suarez got the first of his treble from the penalty spot. Marcelo dragged the visitors back into it just after the break, and it took until the final 15 minutes for Barca’s scoring to resume with the former Liverpool striker netting twice in eight minute before Arturo Vidal completed Real’s humiliation late on.

Real Madrid 3 Barcelona 4 – March 2014

Barcelona secured a thrilling victory over a 10-man Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, fueled by Lionel Messi’s remarkable hat-trick. The visitors initially took the lead through Andres Iniesta, but Karim Benzema’s two goals swiftly reversed the scoreline in the El Classico. Just before halftime, Messi netted his first goal, restoring parity. A Cristiano Ronaldo penalty propelled Real to a 3-2 advantage, but the situation shifted as Sergio Ramos received a red card, leaving the hosts at a numerical disadvantage. Messi then sealed his hat-trick, converting two penalties and securing a dramatic win for the Catalan team.

Barcelona 5 Real Madrid 0 – November 2010

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona handed Jose Mourinho’s Real a significant 5-0 defeat at the Nou Camp, marking the largest winning margin in an El Clasico since 1994. Barcelona took a commanding lead early in the game, with goals from Xavi and Pedro within the first 18 minutes. While Lionel Messi did not find the net himself, he played a pivotal role, assisting David Villa in scoring the third and fourth goals in a mere three minutes during the second half. Jeffren added the final goal for Barcelona after Sergio Ramos was sent off, solidifying their dominant victory.

Barcelona thrashed Real Madrid 5-0 in the El Classico in November 2010 in a match marred with pure rivalry. | PHOTO: CNN |

Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 6 – May 2009

Barcelona secured a resounding 6-2 victory at the Bernabeu en route to claiming their first title in three years in 2009. Despite Gonzalo Higuain initially putting Real Madrid in the lead with a header, Barcelona swiftly responded with an equalizer from Thierry Henry and then took the lead through a header by defender Carles Puyol. Lionel Messi contributed two goals, maintaining Barcelona’s advantage, while Ramos managed to score a header for Real Madrid. Additionally, Henry secured his second goal with a tap-in, and Gerard Pique concluded the scoring spree with Barcelona’s sixth goal.

Real Madrid 4 Barcelona 2 – April 2005

During the height of the Galacticos era, Real Madrid, led by Michael Owen and David Beckham, secured a 4-2 victory over their fierce rivals. Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo propelled Los Blancos to a two-goal lead within the first 20 minutes, with Samuel Eto’o managing to pull one back for the opposing side. Raul extended Real’s lead to 3-1 just before the halftime whistle, and then Beckham’s precise delivery found Owen, who successfully defeated Victor Valdes to make it 4-1 in the 65th minute. Despite Ronaldinho’s skillful execution of a curling free-kick to narrow the deficit, the goal came too late to alter the outcome.