Statistical analysis of Real Madrid vs Barcelona rivalry
What's the story
The Real Madrid versus Barcelona rivalry is one of the fiercest in football history. Known for its intensity, class, and famed players gracing the pitch, the El Clasico is fought between the two most popular football clubs in the world. Both clubs have tasted enormous success and have ruled the scenes domestically and in Europe. Here we decode their rivalry in numbers.
La Liga
Real Madrid have the edge in La Liga
The two teams have met each other on 182 occasions in La Liga. Real Madrid have won 75 El Clasico games in La Liga to Barcelona's 72. 35 matches have ended in a draw. Also, Real have pocketed the most Spanish league titles (34). On the other hand, Barca have won 26 league honors (second-highest).
UCL
What about the Champions League?
In the UEFA Champions League, the two teams have clashed on eight occasions. Real have won three matches, with Barca winning two. Three games have ended in draws. Real have scored 13 UCL goals against Barcelona, conceding 10. Real have won the Champions League title a record 13 times. Meanwhile, Barcelona have won the trophy five times.
Cups
Fierce rivalry in domestic cup competitions
In domestic cup competitions, the two teams have faced each other on 35 occasions in the Copa del Rey. Barca have the edge over Real in this competition, winning 15 matches. Real have won 12 times, with eight matches ending in a draw. In the Spanish Super Cup, Real have beaten Barcelona eight times in 14 attempts (W8 L4 D2).
Success
Statistical analysis: Their success in premier domestic cup competitions
Barcelona have won the Copa del Rey 31 times (record). Their recent win came in the 2020-21 season. Meanwhile, Real have won the trophy 19 times (third-highest). Their last win came in 2013-14. Barca have won 13 Spanish Super Cup titles (a record). Real are second in the list, having won the trophy on 13 occasions.
Silverware
Both teams have won a staggering number of trophies
When it comes to domestic trophies (including defunct competitions), Barcelona have the edge over Real. They have won a staggering 75 trophies compared to Real's 66. However, Real have dominated the scenes in Europe. They have won 29 European trophies compared to Barcelona's 22. Overall, Barcelona have won 97 trophies, with Real being victorious on 95 occasions.
Players
Messi and Ronaldo dominate the scenes
Football legend and Barcelona ace Lionel Messi has netted the most El Clasico goals. He has netted 26 goals against Real so far and is way above former Real legends Alfredo Di Stefano and Cristiano Ronaldo (18 each). However, Ronaldo holds the record for scoring in most successive El Clasico matches (6). Messi and Sergio Ramos have made most El Clasico appearances (45 each).