El Clasico: Sunday match decides 124-year win tie

Barcelona and Real Madrid are tied in historical victories, a deadlock that dates back to 1902. Sunday’s match at Camp Nou will break the tie, with the winner claiming the lead in the oldest rivalry in Spanish football. Both clubs have recorded exactly 106 wins in their meetings, a statistic that has remained unchanged for over a century. The result will settle a debate that has persisted since the first official fixture between the two sides.

The upcoming contest marks a shift in the key figures driving the rivalry. Earlier decades featured stars like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, while the current generation centers on Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe. Barcelona also fields Raphinha, and Real Madrid relies on Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. These players replace earlier legends such as David Beckham and Zinedine Zidane, whose names are etched into the history of the fixture.

The 2017 La Liga match at the Santiago Bernabeu remains a defining moment. Barcelona won 3-2 after a late surge. Casemiro gave Real Madrid the lead, but Messi equalized quickly. Ivan Rakitic put Barcelona ahead before the break. Sergio Ramos was sent off for a lunge on Messi. James Rodriguez scored in the 85th minute, but Messi scored the final goal of the match. That strike was his 500th for the club, though Real Madrid still won the league title by three points.

Another historic encounter occurred in 2007 at Camp Nou. A 19-year-old Messi scored a hat-trick to force a 3-3 draw. Barcelona played with ten men for much of the game. Ruud van Nistelrooy scored twice for Real Madrid, and Sergio Ramos added a third. Messi equalized in the first minute of stoppage time. Both teams finished the season with 76 points, with Real Madrid taking the title on head-to-head record.

Real Madrid dominated the 2005 meeting at their home ground, winning 4-2. The match highlighted the Galacticos era under president Florentino Perez. Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, and Raul all scored for Real Madrid. Michael Owen sealed the victory in the 65th minute. Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho scored for Barcelona, but the visitors still won the league that season by three points.

In 2009, Barcelona dismantled Real Madrid 6-2 at the Bernabeu. Gonzalo Higuain opened the scoring for the hosts, but Thierry Henry equalized within four minutes. Henry added a second goal later in the match. Messi, Carles Puyol, and Gerard Pique also found the net. Sergio Ramos scored a consolation goal in the second half. Barcelona went on to win the league by nine points that year.

The 2011 Copa del Rey final ended the previous trophy drought for Real Madrid. The match went to extra time after a goalless 90 minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo headed in a pass from Angel Di Maria to win the game 1-0. Di Maria was sent off later for a second yellow card. This victory marked the first trophy for Jose Mourinho as manager and the club's first domestic cup since 1993.