6 of the best El Classico’s of the last 20 years

Meetings between Real Madrid and Barcelona remain the crown jewel of Spanish football, a rivalry that has consistently delivered unforgettable spectacles between La Liga’s most illustrious clubs.

While the iconic Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo era is now consigned to history, the fixture continues to command worldwide attention, with some of the sport’s brightest stars ensuring that it still shapes seasons and often decides silverware.

Across history, the two sides have clashed 261 times, with Madrid narrowly leading the overall record—105 wins to Barcelona’s 104, alongside 52 draws. Their first league showdown dates back to February 1929, and almost a century later, the encounters remain fiercely contested.

Madrid entered El Clásico in October 2024 on a four-match winning streak against their great rivals, having beaten them three times in the 2023-24 season: 2-1 and 3-2 in La Liga, and 4-1 in the Spanish Super Cup final.

Yet Barcelona hit back emphatically, thrashing Los Blancos 4-0 at the Bernabéu in the first half of the 2024-25 campaign, inspired by a Robert Lewandowski brace.

That victory sparked a remarkable run. Under Hansi Flick, Barcelona lifted their first trophy of his reign by beating Madrid 5-2 in the 2025 Super Cup final, followed by a dramatic 3-2 triumph in the Copa del Rey final in April 2025. When the sides met again at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in May’s La Liga clash, Barça edged another thriller 4-3.

In terms of league meetings alone, Madrid still hold the edge with 79 wins to Barcelona’s 76, alongside 35 draws — a surprisingly modest number given how evenly matched the sides have been.

Honours-wise, Real Madrid are Spain’s most decorated side, having been crowned La Liga champions 36 times, including their 2023-24 title, which came with a Champions League double. Barcelona, meanwhile, have 28 league titles, with their most recent triumph coming in the 2024-25 season.

The rivalry has been blessed with legends in recent decades, from Messi, Ronaldo, Ramos, Benzema, and Iniesta to a new generation that continues to light up the stage — Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Pedri, and more.

In this article, we bring you 6 of the best El Clásicos of the last 20 years.

Real Madrid 2:6 Barcelona—May 2nd, 2009

Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona produced a legendary display, humiliating Real Madrid with one of the most emphatic El Clásico performances ever witnessed.

Arriving as league leaders, the Catalans faced a Madrid side occupying second place, yet the class disparity was striking. The hosts briefly took control when Gonzalo Higuaín netted in the 14th minute. Still, their advantage disappeared quickly—Thierry Henry levelled just four minutes later, before Carles Puyol struck in the 20th minute to hand Barcelona the lead.

From that moment, the Blaugrana were unstoppable. Henry completed his double, while Lionel Messi added two goals in a sensational showing. Guardiola’s team, at the height of their tiki-taka dominance, would go on to secure the treble in the 2008/09 campaign — lifting La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Champions League.

Madrid, in contrast, closed the season nine points adrift of their Catalan rivals, finishing second in the table.

Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona—April 16 , 2014

Although this clash didn’t produce five, six, or seven goals, it remains unforgettable thanks to a moment that resulted in an iconic strike during the 2014 Copa del Rey final.

During the Ronaldo-Messi rivalry years, it almost felt inevitable that both stars would feature in every Clásico. Yet, with Ronaldo absent in this final, Gareth Bale became the main attraction.

While most recall the Welshman’s electrifying run and composed finish that sealed victory, the match itself was gripping from start to finish. Bale and Ángel Di María constantly threatened on the break, combining effectively to hand Madrid the opener after just 20 minutes.

For Bale, it marked a defining moment—one that cemented his status as a global superstar alongside Ronaldo and Benzema in Los Blancos’ devastating frontline. In stepping up on one of football’s grandest stages, he joined the ranks of players who had delivered defining moments in the Clásico’s history.

Barcelona, boasting Messi, Neymar, and Cesc Fàbregas in a fluid front three, eventually established control, with Marc Bartra equalising through a superb header in the second half. But Bale had the final say—leaving Bartra behind with a blistering 85th-minute sprint before slotting home one of the most iconic goals ever scored in the Clasico.

Barcelona 5:0 Real Madrid—November 29, 2010

On November 29, 2010, Camp Nou witnessed one of the most remarkable nights in El Clásico history, as Barcelona humiliated José Mourinho’s Real Madrid with a 5-0 demolition.

The game epitomised Pep Guardiola’s side at their absolute peak, presenting tiki-taka in its most valid form. Lionel Messi operated in the false nine role, with Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta surging forward to exploit spaces inside Madrid’s penalty area.

From the opening whistle, the Blaugrana controlled proceedings with flawless movement and incisive passing, reducing Mourinho’s men to spectators unable to cope. Xavi broke the deadlock in the 10th minute, and just eight minutes later, Pedro Rodríguez added a second to deepen Madrid’s misery.

Cristiano Ronaldo struggled to impose himself as Carles Puyol led the defensive line with authority, while Barcelona continued to dictate every phase of play. The final blow arrived when Gerard Piqué netted the fifth before famously raising his hand to display five fingers — a gesture symbolising the ‘manita’, the Spanish expression for a 5-0 triumph.

That celebration etched itself into Clásico folklore, immortalising a night that Barcelona supporters will never forget.

Real Madrid 4-2—Barcelona April 10, 2005

Was this truly the peak of Madrid’s Galáctico era? Looking at the names, it’s hard to argue otherwise. Their front line alone read like a fantasy team — Beckham, Zidane, Raúl, Ronaldo, and Owen — with Roberto Carlos marauding down the left for good measure.

Barcelona were no pushovers, either. Ronaldinho, Xavi, and Iniesta were all in the XI, yet even that trio couldn’t keep pace on a night when Madrid flexed their superstar muscle.

It took Zinedine Zidane just seven minutes to put his mark on the game before Ronaldo doubled the advantage 13 minutes later. Barcelona briefly threatened a revival when Samuel Eto’o darted through and finished coolly, but Madrid’s control was never truly shaken.

By half-time, the scoreboard read 3-1, and the hosts went on to seal a 4-2 triumph — a Clásico that still stands out as one of the most emphatic displays of the Galáctico era.

Real Madrid 0:3 Barcelona—November 19, 2005

Moments when Real Madrid supporters stand in unison for an opposing player are almost unheard of, yet Ronaldinho’s masterclass that evening forced the impossible. At the height of his powers, the magician in blaugrana produced one of the defining spectacles of El Clásico.

Lionel Messi would eventually carve out his own collection of legendary showings, but this particular night belonged entirely to Ronaldinho, whose artistry eclipsed everything around him. Against a young Sergio Ramos, he danced with tormenting ease, striking twice — one finish arriving after a slaloming solo that left defenders helpless.

So mesmerising was the display that admiration flowed even from Madrid’s loyalists, their applause echoing recognition for footballing genius. The timing was poetic, coming only days after he had been crowned Europe’s best, though his magic was not the only sparkle under the lights.

Messi, still at the dawn of his greatness, teased what lay ahead with nimble bursts that left Roberto Carlos struggling to contain him. Eto’o found the net as well, completing Barcelona’s rout, in a contest remembered less for its balance and more for the sheer dominance of Ronaldinho’s artistry.

Real Madrid 2:3 Barcelona—April 23, 2017

The clash was perhaps the last truly defining El Clásico of the Messi–Ronaldo rivalry, staged at a time when both icons were operating at their absolute peak. For Barcelona, victory was crucial in keeping their title chase alive, while Real Madrid knew three points would all but extinguish their rivals’ hopes.

Los Blancos started on the front foot, controlling the early exchanges. Ronaldo had appeals for a penalty turned down before Casemiro struck to give the hosts the advantage.

But Messi, destined to leave his mark on every Clásico, altered the script. His equaliser was pure magic — gliding past Madrid shirts before coolly slotting home.

What followed was a relentless contest, with both sides finding the net to make it 2-2, and Ramos once again dismissed for a reckless challenge. Yet there was still time for Messi’s masterpiece. In stoppage time, he curled a precise strike into the bottom corner to clinch a dramatic 3-2 triumph for Barça.

The iconic moment came seconds later — Messi holding up his shirt to the hostile Bernabéu crowd, a celebration that immortalised his 500th goal for the Catalan giants.

The next El Classico will take place at the Bernabeu in late October, 2025. The highly-anticipated clash will no doubt have a huge say in which club will be crowned La Liga champions this season. Understandably, demand for tickets is already growing and fans can check out the current ticket listings on Seatsnet.com.