Barcelona and Real Madrid set to end 124-year win tie
The clubs enter Sunday's match with identical records of 106 victories, making the result decisive for historical bragging rights.
By Fatou Kim ·
Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to settle a 124-year deadlock on Sunday. The two clubs have won exactly 106 matches against each other since the rivalry began in 1902. A three-point victory for either side will break the tie and establish a permanent historical lead.
The fixture, known as El Clasico, features current stars such as Lamine Yamal and Raphinha for Barcelona, and Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr for Real Madrid. Previous generations of players, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Zinedine Zidane, have also defined the competition.
Historical context highlights the volatility of these encounters. In April 2017, Messi scored his 500th goal for Barcelona in a 3-2 win at the Santiago Bernabeu. The match ended with Messi's strike in the final moments after Real Madrid's Sergio Ramos was sent off.
Other memorable results include a 6-2 Barcelona victory at the Bernabeu in May 2009. Thierry Henry scored twice in that match, which helped Barcelona win the league by nine points. In contrast, Real Madrid won the Copa del Rey final in 2011 with a 1-0 extra-time goal from Ronaldo.
The 2005 La Liga clash saw Real Madrid defeat Barcelona 4-2 at home. Ronaldo Nazario and Michael Owen were among the scorers for the visitors, though Barcelona still claimed the league title that season. In 2007, a young Messi scored his first career hat-trick to secure a 3-3 draw for a 10-man Barcelona side.
The upcoming match will determine which club holds the lead in this historic rivalry. The result will shift the all-time head-to-head record from a 106-106 tie to a 107-106 split.
