Five greatest El Clasico matches ever between Real Madrid and Barcelona: Messi magic, Bale beauty, Mourinho mauling

May 9, 2026

in FC Barcelona

Reading Time: 6 mins read

El Clasico is a merely gigantic soccer match, with the competition pitting Spanish heavyweights Barcelona and Actual Madrid towards one another.

Regardless of the competitors, regardless of the event, video games between the 2 are all the time particular, and it might be honest to say that there have been some unimaginable matches all through historical past.

The 2 powerhouses performed out one other five-goal spectacle within the remaining of the 2026 Supercopa de Espana, one which La Blaugrana got here up trumps in, as Raphinha’s brace carried them to a 3-2 success over Xabi Alonso’s facet.

As enthralling as that contest was, it doesn’t fairly come into our pondering in terms of essentially the most absorbing fixtures between two of essentially the most celebrated golf equipment on the planet.

The most recent conflict between the 2 groups will happen at Camp Nou on Sunday night, and it might be a La Liga title decider, with Barcelona solely needing a degree to be topped champions.

Barcelona have been comfortably the most effective workforce in Spain’s high flight this season, and so they sit 11 factors forward of second-placed Actual Madrid within the La Liga desk.

The Catalan outfit fell brief within the Champions League this season, which will probably be a significant disappointment, however they’re very a lot heading in the right direction to win one other Spanish title.

Actual Madrid’s Champions League journey for the 2025-26 marketing campaign was ended by Bayern Munich, and Los Blancos are going through one other marketing campaign with out a main trophy.

A brand new head coach will probably be appointed this summer time to switch Alvaro Arbeloa, with Jose Mourinho thought to be the favorite at this stage of proceedings.

Right here, Sports activities Mole picks out the 5 biggest Clasico matches ever forward of what is going to hopefully be one other blockbuster conflict on Sunday night time.

Barcelona 3-3 Actual Madrid | The League | March 2007

The soccer group had just one identify on their lips on the conclusion of this pulsating El Clasico encounter – Lionel Messi.

On the age of simply 19, Messi’s transformation from wonderkid to famous person was there for the world to see, and he really launched himself to the El Clasico stage is a few model with a memorable hat-trick at Camp Nou.

Inside the opening 28 minutes, Ruud van Nistelrooy had given Actual Madrid the lead twice, however each strikes had been cancelled out by Messi equalisers.

Barca ended a breathless first half with 10 males after Oleguer was proven two yellow playing cards. Victor Valdes then denied Van Nistelrooy his hat-trick thrice within the second half, earlier than Sergio Ramos thought he had received it for Los Blancos with a 73rd-minute header.

Nonetheless, Barca’s Argentine teenager got here to the rescue, bursting previous two defenders earlier than firing dwelling a 91st-minute equaliser to finish his treble.

Barcelona 5-0 Actual Madrid | The League | October 2010

Actual Madrid supporters look away now… Not lengthy after welcoming a recent crop of Galacticos, together with Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Cristiano Ronaldo,

Jose Mourinho had loved the most effective begin of any Actual Madrid supervisor within the membership’s historical past, however his baptism of fireplace at Camp Nou resulted in humiliating vogue as Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona put them to the sword 5-0 with a dominant, tiki-taka show.

Whereas Messi was not on the scoresheet on this one, he nonetheless made his presence felt and assisted David Villa for each of his objectives, whereas Xavi, Pedro and Jeffren Suarez additionally made the online ripple, earlier than a customary Sergio Ramos purple card in stoppage time rubbed salt into Actual Madrid’s wounds.

Actual Madrid 3-4 Barcelona | The League | March 2014

Seven objectives, three penalties, a hat-trick, a purple card, 35 fouls, late drama… this El Clasico thriller had all of it! Barcelona’s vivid begin was rewarded with a seventh-minute opener from Andreas Iniesta, however Angel Di Maria arrange Karim Benzema to attain twice within the area of simply 4 minutes and switch the match on its head earlier than the 25-minute mark.

Gerardo Martino’s males, nevertheless, entered half time all sq. courtesy of a Lionel Messi equaliser three minutes earlier than the break.

Actual Madrid had been forward once more, this time in controversial circumstances 10 minutes after the restart, as Cristiano Ronaldo transformed from the penalty spot regardless of being tripped by Dani Alves simply outdoors the world, however the hosts had been decreased to 10 males shortly after Sergio Ramos – who else – was given his marching orders for felling Neymar contained in the field.

Messi made no mistake from the ensuing 12-yarder to revive parity, and after Dani Alves had struck the woodwork, Barca’s No.10 received the sport for the Catalan guests with one other emphatic spot kick six minutes from time, after Iniesta was sandwiched between Xabi Alonso and Dani Carvajal. Barca’s triumph ended Actual’s 17-game successful streak on the Bernabeu.

Actual Madrid 2-1 Barcelona | Copa del Rey remaining | April 2014

Only a month later, Actual Madrid bought their revenge within the Copa del Rey remaining with out the presence of injured talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, with Welsh wizard Gareth Bale filling the void in admirable vogue.

Angel Di Maria fired an Eleventh-minute opener into the underside nook, earlier than Barcelona levelled due to Marc Bartra’s very good second-half header. Nonetheless, Bartra’s elation quickly morphed into despair, as he was unable to cease an iconic El Clasico match-winner scored by Bale 5 minutes from time.

Simply because the closely-fought contest seemed to be heading to further time, Bale acquired the ball on the midway line and knocked it into the empty Barcelona half. Bartra’s greatest efforts to power Bale off the pitch had been in useless, because the Los Blancos winger nonetheless managed to outsprint his Spanish counterpart and saved his steadiness as he lower inside and coolly squeezed his shot past Jose Manuel Pinto, serving to Actual win a nineteenth Copa del Rey trophy.

Actual Madrid 2-3 Barcelona | The League | April 2017

Though Actual Madrid went on to pip Barcelona to the La Liga title on this 12 months, the Catalan giants prolonged the title race for a short time longer with a vital five-goal victory on the Bernabeu, with Messi etching his identify into the historical past books as soon as once more.

Los Blancos dominated the opening exchanges and ultimately broke the impasse simply earlier than the half-hour mark by way of Casemiro, however his close-range end was cancelled out by Messi simply 5 minutes later courtesy of a wonderful particular person purpose.

Whereas each Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo missed good alternatives to provide their groups a second-half lead, each Keylor Navas and Marc-Andre ter Stegen had been known as into motion to make a number of necessary stops throughout a frantic end-to-end affair – the latter made a complete of 12 saves within the 90 minutes, whereas the previous reacted brilliantly to maintain out Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez from shut vary.

Nonetheless, Navas was unable to cease Ivan Rakitic’s 20-yard rocket from flying into the far nook on the 73-minute mark, giving Barcelona the lead, earlier than Sergio Ramos was despatched off (once more) for a two-footed lunge on Messi simply 4 minutes later.

Actual Madrid refused to go down with out a struggle with 10 males and it seemed as if they’d snatched a degree when James Rodriguez nipped in direction of the close to submit to fulfill Marcelo’s cross and slot dwelling an Eighty fifth-minute equaliser.

Nonetheless, Messi stepped as much as ship when Barca wanted it most, scoring his five hundredth purpose for the Catalan membership within the 92nd minute to seal a memorable triumph within the Spanish capital.