Matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona are always the biggest events on the Spanish football calendar, with the two most powerful clubs in La Liga battling it out in memorable contests over the years.
Despite the absence of the iconic Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo matchup, the fixture continues to feature some of the biggest names in world football, with the two teams regularly competing for the biggest prizes. Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Jr. are among the many world-class athletes involved.
These teams met five times during the 2022/23 season, with Barcelona winning the league title and defeating their opponents in the Supercopa de Espana final, while Madrid avenged themselves by winning the two-legged Copa del Rey semifinal tie.
Real Madrid won the La Liga and Champions League double last year, defeating Barcelona three times in a row to complete a clean sweep.
Barcelona would get off to a strong start this season, winning their first La Liga meeting 4-0 in late October. On January 12, the two faced off again in a spectacular Supercopa de Espana final in Riyadh.
The two clubs have met in 259 competitive matches in total, with Real Madrid winning 105, Barcelona 102, and the teams drawing 52 times. Former Barcelona star Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer in El Clasico history, trailing only Sergio Busquets in appearances (48).
El Clasico head-to-head record
Here, we take a look at all the records of this classic encounter between the two Spanish giants.
Who has won the most El Clasico matches — Real Madrid or Barcelona?
| Competition | Matches | Real Madrid wins | Barcelona wins | Draws |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| La Liga | 189 | 79 | 75 | 35 |
| Copa del Rey | 37 | 13 | 16 | 8 |
| Copa de La Liga | 6 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Supercopa de Espana | 18 | 10 | 6 | 2 |
| Copa de la Coronacion | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Champions League | 8 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Total | 259 | 105 | 12 | 52 |
Who are the top goalscorers in El Clasico?
| Player | Club | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 26 |
| Alfredo Di Stefano | Real Madrid | 18 |
| Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid | 18 |
| Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 16 |
| Raul Gonzalez | Real Madrid | 15 |
| Cesar Rodriguez | Barcelona | 14 |
| Francisco Gento | Real Madrid | 14 |
| Ferenc Puskas | Real Madrid | 14 |
Who are the players with the most appearances in El Clasico?
| Player | Club | Appearances |
|---|---|---|
| Sergio Busquets | Barcelona | 48 |
| Lionel Messi | Barcelona | 45 |
| Sergio Ramos | Real Madrid | 45 |
| Karim Benzema | Real Madrid | 43 |
| Francisco Gento | Real Madrid | 42 |
| Manuel Sanchis | Real Madrid | 42 |
| Xavi Hernandez | Barcelona | 42 |
What are the biggest wins in El Clasico history?
| Date | Match | Competition |
|---|---|---|
| June 19, 1943 | Real Madrid 11–1 Barcelona | Copa del Rey |
| Feb. 3, 1935 | Real Madrid 8–2 Barcelona | La Liga |
| Sep. 24, 1950 | Barcelona 7–2 Real Madrid | La Liga |
| May 19, 1957 | Barcelona 6–1 Real Madrid | Copa del Rey |
| Sep. 18, 1949 | Real Madrid 6–1 Barcelona | La Liga |
Which players have scored the most hat-tricks in El Clasico?
| Player | Club | No. of hat-tricks |
|---|---|---|
| Santiago Bernabeu | Real Madrid | 2 (Both in 1916 Copa del Rey) |
| Jaime Lazcano | Real Madrid | 2 (1929/30 La Liga & 1934/35 La Liga) |
| Ferenc Puskas | Real Madrid | 2 (1962/63 La Liga & 1963/64 La Liga) |
| Lionel Messi | FC Barcelona | 2 (2006/07 La Liga & 2013/14 La Liga) |
Carlo Ancelotti vs. Hansi Flick head to head
Carlo Ancelotti has been a mainstay at Real Madrid since his arrival in 2021, having fired two Barcelona managers during his tenure, Ronald Koeman and Xavi.
In October 2024, the Italian faced a new manager as the El Clasico rivals clashed, and Hansi Flick delivered a rude awakening in a shocking 4-0 home defeat. The 2025 Supercopa final saw a similarly humiliating result, with Barcelona winning 5-2.
The two had never met before, with Flick now in his first managerial position outside of Germany. The two never met while Ancelotti was in charge of Bayern Munich because Flick was working for the German national team at the time.
