Barcelona has never looked so threatening after Messi’s departure. And I wouldn’t be wrong to say that Hansi Flick is gradually preparing the Catalan club to dominate European football once again. With exceptional youngsters like Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Pedri, and Gavi led by the likes of Robert Lewandowski and Ter Stegen, Barcelona has become a real threat to Real Madrid’s dominance in La Liga.
A week from now, Flick’s side is going to clash with their arch-rivals; Real Madrid. And I believe that ElClásico will set the tone for both clubs and may determine the league winner. Anyway, 27th October is on the horizon, and till then, why don’t we reminisce about some unforgettable moments of this exclusive rivalry? So, let’s start:
Contents
Figo’s Transfer
Real Madrid-Barcelona rivalry peaked in 2000 when Luis Figo surprisingly moved to Barca’s arch-rivals; Real Madrid. In Barcelona, Figo spent 5 fruitful years helping the Catalans with 2 La Liga titles. Also, his sterling performance throughout the 1999-2000 season won him a well-deserved Ballon d’Or in 2000.
Even today, Barcelona fans have not forgiven Figo for his betrayal of the club. On the other hand, Real Madrid fans consider him one of the greats to wear their badge. In his first season at Los Blancos, Figo won the Champions League, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup. Also, Barca fans never missed the opportunity to ridicule and mock him whenever he visited Camp Nou wearing the Royal White Shirt.
Ronaldo-Messi Era
La Liga peaked in 2009 when Cristiano Ronaldo joined the Real Madrid for a record transfer fee of 94 million Euros. In the preceding year, he had won the Ballon d’Or with Man United, and in Spain, Messi was already wreaking havoc on the opponents, day in and day out.
The greatness of their rivalry comes from the fact that both the players shared the Ballon d’Or among them for the next 9 years until Luka Modric’s stunning World Cup campaign made him a clear winner in 2018.
For me, the greatest moment of this rivalry came in 2012 when Real Madrid and Barcelona clashed in a politically charged ElClásico. As always, respective fans expected their teams to come on top. And both Messi and Ronaldo bagged two goals to secure a draw for their teams.
Guardiola-Mourinho Era
The famous rivalry between Pep Guardiola and Jose Mourinho started when Barca and Inter Milan collided in the Champions League. At San Siro, Pep’s side failed to produce a favorable result. A few days later, Barca thrashed Milan even without the likes of Messi and Zlatan. However, their rivalry peaked when Mourinho joined Los Blancos.
In 11 La Liga meetings, Pep emerged victorious in 5 games and Jose won 2, while 4 games ended as a draw. The exchange of words on the sidelines and in pre-and post-match conferences became a norm as both managers couldn’t stand each other.
Luis Suarez Over-Taking Messi and Ronaldo
The peak Barca and Real Madrid sides had the likes of Neymar, Bale, Benzema, Modric, Xavi, Iniesta, and more, but it was Suarez who shone the brightest in the Messi-Ronaldo era. It was the 2015/16 season when Suarez outperformed both the iconic players; Ronaldo and Messi. Suarez scored 40 goals in La Liga whereas Ronaldo bagged 35 goals and Messi could only get 26.
It was the first time since Ronaldo joined La Liga in 2009 that someone other than him and Messi scored the most goals in a single La Liga season.
Bonus Section: Best Platform to Watch La Liga 2024-25
The La Liga is being hyped up again. Simply because Barca has found their long-lost form and Real Madrid has the likes of Mbappe and company, looking to maintain their unbeaten streak.
If you still haven’t found a platform to watch La Liga 2024-25, we recommend streaming La Liga on ESPN+ with any Hulu plan! Besides its subscription, you also need a reliable internet connection for smooth streaming. We have a recommendation for that too: Cox Internet offers fast streaming with possibly zero disruptions. Plus, Spanish-speaking customers can connect to Cox servicio al cliente for 24/7 support!
