El Clásico is the one match in football which always lives up to the pre-match hype of being the biggest and most exciting match in the world.
The first clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid in the 2018/19 La Liga season at the Camp Nou took place on 28th October 2018.
Barcelona well be hoping a win in this match will begin their run to the title over their arch rivals. Real Madrid will arrive in Catalunya with the intention of getting one over their arch enemies in their own back yard. Barcelona vs Real Madrid. The match in Santiago Bernabeu will played in March 2019.
Whatever the circumstances, expect a special atmosphere in one the world’s largest football arenas.
Last season, Real Madrid finished 4th in the league after winning the title the previous season. Barcelona finished in the 1 place with a 17 point gap from Real Madrid. But the real changes happened in Real Madrid and one icon leaving Barcelona:
Zinedine Zidane was the new King of Madrid and could seemingly do nothing wrong at the Santiago Bernabeu. Even though his team finished 4th, Real won their third successive Champions League Finals.
Before the World Cup started, Zidane decided to leave the keys with a stunning exit from the club. His successor Lopetegui signed while he was manager of Spain, leading to his instant dismissal from the team.
But there was even bigger news this summer in ‘Los Blancos’ camp….
on July 10 after numerous rumours, Juventus declared to the world Cristiano Ronaldo has officially signed. The famous rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo can now only be seen in the Champions League. The Barca fans will now focus their energy on taunting Sergio Ramos.
Would Valverde be the right choice to lead Barcelona to success and triumph over Real Madrid?
One look at the football and results against Real from last season suggests Valverde could take Barcelona to new heights. Last season Barca won 3-0 in the Bernabeu and tied the match at home 2-2. Not only have the team won matches, they did so in style. Lionel Messi has been playing some of the best football of his career, and the 14 point gap from 2 place Atletico says a lot about their season.
This is a Barcelona team capable of emulating the success enjoyed by Real Madrid last season.
When describing the epic Barcelona in the last 13 years, one name will always pop up:
Andres Iniesta. A born and raised Catalan player with titles year after year, left to Japan to finish one of the most illustrious football careers. Iniesta was one of the main figures in all the El Clasico’s during his time. Who will enter his midfield space against Real?
If you would like to add a little personal excitement to an already enthralling fixture, you could make a wager prior to kick-off. Interestingly, both teams have scored in each of the last 5 meetings between them in La Liga at the Camp Nou. This makes for a tempting bet in this match.
That’s the great thing about Barcelona vs Real Madrid, anything can happen and it usually does. There has not been a 0-0 draw in the previous 15 La Liga meetings between the teams at the Camp Nou. With Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Benzema and Gareth Bale on show, it would be a massive shock if we did not see more goals in this game.
This match will be played at the Camp Nou, Barcelona. This is one of the most iconic stadiums in world football and to witness a match inside the grand arena is a privilege.
The Camp Nou has a capacity of 99,787 people, making it the largest stadium in Europe and every football fan should witness at least one game inside this venue.
The city of Barcelona is full of many great sights, including Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia and Park Guell, both of which are steeped in history and very photogenic.
La Rambla is full of shops, market stalls and restaurants and is a great place to see both tourists and locals coming together to purchase locally grown and crafted products.
Due to Barcelona’s proximity to the coast you can enjoy the beach front with a great promenade and water sports plus the mountainous region of Montserrat, which is a short journey from the city centre.
After dark, you should head to Tibidabo Mountain, which is not only home to some lovely restaurants and bars but also has some of the best views of the city at night.
Barcelona is a very popular city for visitors and as such, you are spoilt for choice when it comes to accommodation.
However, due to the popularity of the city with tourists, you are advised to book early to avoid disappointment.
If you are planning on travelling to watch El Clasico alone, you have many options but Eric Vokel Boutique Apartments is one of the best.
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Catering for individual guests, the building is just 500 metres from the Sagrada Familia and boasts rooms with free WiFi, air conditioning, fully fitted kitchen and private bathroom.
If you would like to meet fellow football fans, Azul B and B Barcelona features rooms with a private bathroom and shower plus a communal lounge area where you can chat about the match with fellow guests.
For couples arriving in Barcelona who want to splash out on the best, we recommend Soho House Barcelona, which is in the atmospheric Gothic Quarter.
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The roof top pool, spa, gym and steam room coupled with rooms which have elegant dressing gowns, coffee making facilities, a vintage radio and a jar of cookies make this one of the top places to stay in Barcelona.
For those who want something on La Rambla, you should book a room at Petit Palace Boqueria Garden.
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This four-star hotel includes rooms with city or garden, views, an iPad and toiletries. You can also use the hotel bicycles free of charge and these provide a great way to get about the city.
If you are attending the big match with family or friends, Apartments Sixtyfour is a fantastic place to stay. Situated on Passeig de Gracia Boulevard, the apartments are close to major attractions and the subway plus have rooms which can sleep up to 6 people.
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The rooms have hardwood floors, stylish kitchens and a metro train station outside the door which connects directly to the airport and has links to the Camp Nou.
For the budget conscious traveller Barcelona has many options but the three-star Atlantis by Atbcn is very popular and with good reason.
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This hotel boasts an average rating of 8.6 on Booking.com and is renowned for its spacious marble bathrooms, flat-screen satellite TV, free Wi-Fi and breakfast served in the dining room.
Located just 100 yards from Plaza Catalunya and 10 minutes from the Gothic Quarter, Atlantis by Atbcn is a great place to stay to see both the sights of Barcelona and El Clásico.
Sampling the local food is one of the most memorable parts of any trip and travelling to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid is no exception.
One dish which is famous in the whole of Spain is Paella and while many restaurants serve Paella, it is always best when home made due to the long cooking process.
Right next to the Park Guell you have a pair of talented home chefs waiting to share the best Paella in Barcelona.
The name of their restaurant is ‘Something is Brewing Here’ and Bego and Ivan are the chefs on hand to treat you to some traditional home cooking and the Paella is one of their best dishes.
You can also enjoy a lesson in how they prepare their food.
Another family run restaurant, which is great for lunch of an evening meal is Moments and this is part of the Mandarin Oriental on Passeig de Gracia.
This establishment is run by a mother and son and has received two Michelin Stars for their efforts. Here you can enjoy a wonderful dining experience and there are some great surprises on the menu, including jelly fish.
The atmosphere is relaxing yet sophisticated thanks to the amber and gold design of the room and the window into the kitchen offers a glimpse into the superb work of the chefs.
In Spain lunch is often eaten late and this means afternoon snacks are not taken until around 5pm at the earliest.
If you are need a snack having just enjoyed the game or visiting the sights, head to Pastisseria Brunells which is the home of the oldest working ovens in Barcelona.
This bakery and tea shop is a favourite with the locals and you are sure to meet many people when enjoying a Xuixos, which is a typical Catalan pastry filled with crema catalana.
The traditional interior design of the building will have you reaching for your camera.
Barcelona has a large airport called El Prat and this is second largest airport in Spain to Madrid Barajas Airport.
The airport serves many European destinations and accepts direct flights from a huge number of cities on the content.
The airport also accepts direct flights from North America, South America, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. So, wherever you are based, you will have no problem reaching Barcelona to watch El Clasico.
Having arrived at the airport, you can use the Rodalies Barcelona commuter train from Terminal 2 which has stops at Barcelona Sants and Passeig de Gràcia railway stations, both of which connect to the Barcelona Metro.
For those arriving at Terminal 1, there is a shuttle bus which connects the two terminals.
If you want to get straight on the Barcelona Metro at the airport you can at both Terminal 1 and 2 by using Line 9 of the Metro system.
Signs in the airport are easy to follow and direct passengers to the stations.
Once on the Metro, reaching the Camp Nou is straight forward and you can use Line 3 (stops at Palau Reial or Les Corts) and Line 5 (stops at Collblanc or Badal).
If you are travelling to Barcelona on the train, you will arrive at the Barcelona Sants railway station.
It’s possible to catch the train to Barcelona Sants from other European cities including Paris, London, Madrid, Bilbao, Marseille, Lisbon, Frankfurt and Munich.
You may need to make some connections when coming from cities in other countries.
Once at Barcelona Sants, you can get on Line 3 of the metro to reach the Camp Nou.
Bus is also an option if you are travelling to the game from other Spanish or European cities. Eurolines among other companies offer bus travel between the major cities in Europe and you will arrive at Barcelona Nord Bus Station.
From there, you can catch the Line 54 bus which will take you to Arizala Les Corts, which is just outside the stadium.
For those driving into Barcelona from elsewhere in Spain or neighbouring European countries, you will need to be on the B-23 and merge onto the Avinguda Diagonal.
Before you reach this point, you will see signs for the Camp Nou and can follow them.
However, once on Avinguda Diagonal you must make a turning right onto Avinguda Dr. Maranon until you reach a roundabout and take the first exit right. You will then see a sign for Access 14 which takes you to the stadium.
There are several car parks you can use close to the Camp Nou including Tantori Les Corts, Ronda Park and NN Pedralbes. You are advised to book a parking space in advance ahead of such as big game.
Every season the rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, Catalonia and Spain is played out at the Camp Nou and each game adds to the colourful history of this wonderful football fixture.
Not only is Barcelona vs Real Madrid the most watched football match in Spain, it attracts the biggest television audience for a single football match in the world. In recent years, only the World Cup final as achieved a bigger audience.
However, you must go back to 1906 to find the first time Real Madrid visited Barcelona for a football match and the home team won the game 5-2. The result prompted complaints from Real Madrid and this was the beginning of a fractious relationship between the two clubs, both on and off the field.
The first match between the teams in La Liga was in the 1928/29 season and came at the Camp de les Corts, which was Barcelona’s stadium at the time.
The stadium held 30,000 people but soon expanded to accommodate 60,000 and it was where Barcelona began to flourish as a team and an institution.
The stadium is no longer there but you can visit the site, which is now the Parc de Les Corts, located just a kilometre west of the Camp Nou.
Real Madrid won the first league match 2-1 but it was Barcelona who went on to win the title that season.
Since the early 1990’s, La Liga games have ended mainly in favour of the home team and Barcelona have enjoyed two 5-0 and four 4-0 wins since the 1993/94 season. However, things have turned in favour of Real Madrid in the past few seasons and the visitors have remained undefeated in four of their last six league visits to the Camp Nou.
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