Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Top five clashes in La Liga history

One of the oldest rivalries in the history of football, El Clasico, Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, has enticed fans over the years. Ever since Barcelona's redemption under Johan Cruyff in the 70s and 80s, they have posed significant competition and challenges to Los Blancos. On the other hand, Real Madrid has been a dominant side in Spanish football history, leading the glory path. 

In recent years, the title race and Champions League success have widened the gap but the Catalonian outfit is bidding a serious challenge to topple the Whites this year. Ahead of the crucial year, here are the top five clashes in La Liga history between Barcelona and Real Madrid. 

Top five clashes in La Liga history between Barcelona and Real Madrid:

1. Real Madrid vs Barcelona- 3-4, Santiago Bernabeu, 2014

It was one of the best games in the history of El Clasico in the last decade. The game was a spectacle with seven goals scored. The game swung like a pendulum on each occasion with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo putting their best performances on the pitch. Iniesta opened the scoring in the early minutes of the game but Benzema equalized and also scored just within ten minutes to extend the lead.

Lionel Messi scored before the half time to equalize but the fun was short-lived as Ronaldo scored within the ten minutes of the second half to give Real Madrid a lead again. However, Messi’s double brilliance after the 60th minute allowed the Catalans to register a game to remember in the goal fest.  

2. Real Madrid vs Barcelona- 4-2, Santiago Bernabeu, 2005

Barcelona were running away with the title in April with a nine-point lead and this game happened. A potential six-pointer in April and the Los Blancos had a chance to claw their way back to the title race. Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Sr and Raul turn up to Bernabeu to shock the opposition.

While Zidane and Ronaldo breezed past the Barcelona defenders in the first half to give a 2-1 lead, Michael Owne and Raul scored in the second half to give a 4-2 victory for the Whites. Despite winning the six-pointer game, Real Madrid fell short by four points at the end of the campaign but gave the fans a game to remember in that season. 

3. Barcelona vs Real Madrid- 2-2, Camp Nou, 2012

If there is any game that talks about a player from each side doing all by themselves, this is the game that happened at Camp Nou. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the arch nemesis in La Liga, showed the world their brilliance with only them being part of the scoreline.

Ronaldo scored the first goal in the 22nd minute whereas Messi equalized soon just past the half-hour mark. While the game was moving slowly, the action again happened in the second half with Lionel Messi scoring at the hour mark. This time, it was Ronaldo who struck back within 6 minutes of the lead to equalize. Despite the teams vying for supremacy in the dying embers, none came out victorious but the two geniuses did. 

4. Barcelona vs Real Madrid- 3-3, Camp Nou, 2007

The world had known the young boy from Argentina was down at Camp Nou to exert his dominance over Spanish football. The game was nothing short of being a goal fest with both sides trying to go one up against each other.

Ruud van Nistelrooy scored early in the game but Messi soon equalized before Ruud again scored to make it 2-1. But before the half an hour mark, the game was 2-2. While both sides fought for the lead throughout the game, Sergio Ramos scored the 72nd-minute goal to make it 3-2. Messi completed his hat trick in the 88th minute to level the score, breaking the Madridistas' hearts.

5. Real Madrid vs Barcelona- 0-4, Santiago Bernabeu, 2015

In the 21st century, Barcelona have registered humongous victories against their opposition in the league fixtures and why not when you boast the likes of Suarez, Messi and Iniesta? In the 2015 season, the game happened after all the build-up and hype around it.

From the word go, Basrrclona enjoyed the possession, with them having over 60% which finally ended at 58%. Los Blancos were clueless in the game though they had seven shots on target. Suarez and Neymar struck in the first half whereas Suarez and Iniesta found the back of the net in the second half to extend their dominance. Barcelona won the season with a solitary point.