Editing FC Barcelona (section)

=== ''El Clásico'' ===
{{Main|El Clásico}}
[[File:Forcejeo Real Madrid - FC Barcelona.jpg|thumb|230px|Players jostle in Barcelona's 2–6 win against Real Madrid at the [[Santiago Bernabéu Stadium]] in a 2009 ''El Clásico''.]]
There is often a fierce rivalry between the two strongest teams in a national league, and this is particularly the case in La Liga, where the game between Barcelona and [[Real Madrid CF|Real Madrid]] is known as "The Classic" (''El Clásico''). From the start of national competitions the clubs were seen as representatives of two rival regions in Spain: [[Catalonia]] and [[Castile (historical region)|Castile]], as well as of the two cities. The rivalry reflects what many regard as the political and cultural tensions felt between [[Catalan people|Catalans]] and the [[Castilians]], seen by one author as a re-enactment of the [[Spanish Civil War]].<ref>Ghemawat, Pankaj. p. 2.</ref> Over the years, the head-to-head record between the two clubs is 102 victories for Madrid, 100 victories for Barcelona, and 52 draws.{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}

[[File:Camp Nou during El Clasico October 2012.jpg|thumbnail|left|Barcelona fans creating a mosaic of the [[Senyera|Catalan flag]] before a 2012 ''El Clasico'' at Camp Nou]]
As early as the 1930s, Barcelona "had developed a reputation as a symbol of Catalan identity, opposed to the centralising tendencies of Madrid".<ref name="josepsunyol" /><ref>Ham, Anthony p. 221</ref> In 1936, when [[Francisco Franco]] started the ''[[Coup d'état]]'' against the democratic [[Second Spanish Republic]], the president of Barcelona, [[Josep Sunyol]], member of the [[Republican Left of Catalonia]] and Deputy to [[Cortes Generales|The Cortes]], was arrested and executed without trial by Franco's troops<ref name="McNeillp261">McNeill, Donald (1999) [https://books.google.com/books?id=zfiyEutRtmQC&pg=PA61 ''Urban change and the European left: tales from the new Barcelona''] p.61</ref> (Sunyol was exercising his political activities, visiting Republican troops north of Madrid).<ref name="josepsunyol">Burns, Jimmy, 'Don Patricio O'Connell: An Irishman and the Politics of Spanish Football' in "{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20110726185724/http://www.irishargentine.org/0803.pdf Irish Migration Studies in Latin America]}}" 6:1 (March 2008), p. 44. Available online [http://www.irlandeses.org/0803burns3.htm pg. 3] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718143546/http://www.irlandeses.org/0803burns3.htm |date=18 July 2010 }},[http://www.irlandeses.org/0803burns4.htm pg. 4] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718143516/http://www.irlandeses.org/0803burns4.htm |date=18 July 2010 }}. Retrieved 29 August 2010.</ref> During the dictatorships of [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]] and especially [[Francoist Spain|Francisco Franco]], all regional languages and identities in Spain were frowned upon and restrained. As such, most citizens of Barcelona were in strong opposition to the fascist-like regime. In this period, Barcelona gained their motto ''Més que un club'' (''English: More than a club'') because of its alleged connection to [[Catalan nationalism|Catalan nationalist]] as well as to [[progressivism|progressive]] beliefs.<ref>Ball, Phil p. 88</ref>

There's an ongoing controversy as to what extent Franco's rule (1939–75) influenced the activities and on-pitch results of both Barcelona and Real Madrid. Fans of both clubs tend to exaggerate the myths favouring their narratives. Most historians agree than Franco did not have a preferred football team, but his Spanish nationalist beliefs led him to associate himself with the establishment teams, such as [[Atlético Madrid|Atlético Aviación]] and [[Real Madrid CF|Madrid FC]] (that recovered its ''royal'' name after the fall of the Republic). On the other hand, he also wanted the renamed ''CF Barcelona'' succeed as "Spanish team" rather than a Catalan one. During the early years of Franco's rule, Real Madrid were not particularly successful, winning two [[Copa del Rey|Copa del Generalísimo]] titles and a [[Copa Eva Duarte]]; Barcelona claimed three [[List of Spanish football champions|league titles]], one Copa del Generalísimo and one Copa Eva Duarte. During that period, Atlético Aviación were believed to be the preferred team over Real Madrid. The most contested stories of the period include Real Madrid's 11–1 home win against Barcelona in the [[1943 Copa del Generalísimo|Copa del Generalísimo]], where the Catalan team alleged intimidation, and the controversial transfer of [[Alfredo Di Stéfano]] to Real Madrid despite his agreement with Barcelona. The latter transfer was part of Real Madrid chairman [[Santiago Bernabéu (footballer)|Santiago Bernabéu]]'s "revolution" that ushered in the era of unprecedented dominance. Bernabéu, himself a veteran of the Civil War who fought for [[Nationalist faction (Spanish Civil War)|Franco's forces]], saw Real Madrid on top not only of Spanish but also European football, helping create the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]], the first true competition for Europe's best club sides. His vision was fulfilled when Real Madrid not only started winning consecutive league titles but also swept the first five editions of the European Cup in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/presidents/santiago-bernabeu|title=SANTIAGO BERNABÉU 1943·1978|work=Real Madrid C.F.|publisher=realmadrid.com|access-date=1 July 2022|archive-date=16 August 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220816230029/https://www.realmadrid.com/en/about-real-madrid/history/presidents/santiago-bernabeu|url-status=live}}</ref> These events had a profound impact on Spanish football and influenced Franco's attitude. According to historians, during this time he realized the importance of Real Madrid for his regime's international image, and the club became his preferred team until his death. [[Fernando Maria Castiella]], who served as [[Minister of Foreign Affairs (Spain)|Minister of Foreign Affairs]] under Franco from 1957 until 1969, noted that "[Real Madrid] is the best embassy we have ever had." Franco died in 1975, and the [[Spanish transition to democracy]] soon followed. Under his rule, [[List of Real Madrid CF records and statistics#Honours|Real Madrid had won]] 14 league titles, 6 Copa del Generalísimo titles, 1 Copa Eva Duarte, 6 European Cups, 2 [[Latin Cup]]s, and 1 [[Intercontinental Cup (1960–2004)|Intercontinental Cup]]. In the same period, [[List of FC Barcelona records and statistics#Honours|Barcelona had won]] 8 league titles, 9 Copa del Generalísimo titles, 3 Copa Eva Duarte titles, 3 [[Inter-Cities Fairs Cup]]s, and 2 Latin Cups.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/09/27/real-madrid-and-the-franco-regime/|title=THE STORY OF REAL MADRID AND THE FRANCO REGIME|work=Nick Fitzgerald|date=27 September 2017|publisher=thesefootballtimes.co|access-date=1 July 2022|archive-date=1 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701193952/https://thesefootballtimes.co/2017/09/27/real-madrid-and-the-franco-regime/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goal.com/en/news/general-franco-real-madrid-king-history-behind-clubs-link/fcoqldp8h2bb1841o2rspmuhe|title=General Franco, Real Madrid & the king: The history behind club's link to Spain's establishment|work=Ryan Kelly|publisher=goal.com|access-date=1 July 2022|archive-date=1 July 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220701194108/https://www.goal.com/en/news/general-franco-real-madrid-king-history-behind-clubs-link/fcoqldp8h2bb1841o2rspmuhe|url-status=live}}</ref>

The rivalry was intensified during the 1950s when the clubs disputed the signing of [[Alfredo Di Stéfano]]. Di Stéfano had impressed both Barcelona and Real Madrid while playing for [[Club Deportivo Los Millonarios|Los Millionarios]] in [[Bogotá]], Colombia, during a players' strike in his native [[Argentina]]. Soon after Millonarios' return to Colombia, Barcelona directors visited Buenos Aires and agreed with River Plate, the last FIFA-affiliated team to have held Di Stéfano's rights, for his transfer in 1954 for the equivalent of 150 million Italian lira (according to other sources 200,000 dollars). This started a battle between the two Spanish rivals for his rights. FIFA appointed Armando Muñoz Calero, former president of the Spanish Football Federation as mediator. Calero decided to let Di Stéfano play the 1953–54 and 1955–56 seasons in Madrid, and the 1954–55 and 1956–57 seasons in Barcelona. The agreement was approved by the Football Association and their respective clubs. Although the Catalans agreed, the decision created various discontent among the Blaugrana members and the president was forced to resign in September 1953. Barcelona sold Madrid their half-share, and Di Stéfano moved to ''Los Blancos'', signing a four-year contract. Real paid 5.5 million Spanish pesetas for the transfer, plus a 1.3 million bonus for the purchase, an annual fee to be paid to the Millonarios, and a 16,000 salary for Di Stéfano with a bonus double that of his teammates, for a total of 40% of the annual revenue of the Madrid club.<ref name="di Stefano">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28204560 |title=BBC SPORT &#124; Football &#124; Alfredo Di Stefano: Did General Franco halt Barcelona transfer? |work=BBC News |date=7 July 2014 |access-date=2 December 2014 |archive-date=8 February 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160208154241/https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/28204560 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Di Stéfano became integral in the subsequent success achieved by Real Madrid, scoring twice in his first game against Barcelona. With him, Madrid won the first five editions of the [[UEFA Champions League|European Cup]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Alfredo di Stéfano was one of football's greatest trailblazers|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid|access-date=12 October 2018|newspaper=The Guardian|date=7 July 2014|archive-date=25 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200725025210/https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2014/jul/07/alfredo-di-stefano-real-madrid|url-status=live}}</ref> The 1960s saw the rivalry reach the European stage when Real Madrid and Barcelona met twice in the European Cup, with Madrid triumphing en route to their fifth consecutive title in [[1959–60 European Cup|1959–60]] and Barcelona prevailing en route to losing the final in [[1960–61 European Cup|1960–61]]. In 2002, the European encounter between the clubs was dubbed the "Match of The Century" by Spanish media, and Madrid's win was watched by more than 500&nbsp;million people.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7773773.stm |title=Real win Champions League showdown |work=BBC Sport |date=11 December 2008 |access-date=21 August 2010 |archive-date=31 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120731062536/http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/7773773.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> An intense fixture which is marked by its indiscipline in addition to [[Goal celebration|memorable goal celebrations]] from both teams – often involving mocking the opposition – such notable celebrations occurred in 2009 when Barcelona captain [[Carles Puyol]] kissed his Catalan armband in front of incensed Madrid fans at the [[Santiago Bernabéu Stadium]] and in 2017 when Lionel Messi celebrated his 93rd-minute winner for Barcelona against Real Madrid at the Bernabéu by taking off his Barcelona shirt and holding it up to incensed Real Madrid fans – with his name and number facing them.<ref>{{cite news |title=Real Madrid-Barcelona: Celebrations in enemy territory |url=http://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2017/04/24/58fe5ed8ca47413f548b461c.html |access-date=10 October 2018 |work=Marca |archive-date=10 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181010011212/http://www.marca.com/en/football/barcelona/2017/04/24/58fe5ed8ca47413f548b461c.html |url-status=live }}</ref>