El Clásico

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

The rivalry between Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona has deep roots, especially in the 1970s when Atlético had only one less La Liga title than Barcelona. That decade saw them occupy the top two positions in La Liga multiple times: in 1972–73 (Atlético champions, Barcelona runners-up), 1973–74 (Barcelona champions, Atlético runners-up), and 1976–77 (Atlético champions again). A famous moment came on 23 December 1973 when Johan Cruijff scored an acrobatic 'Flying Dutchman' goal in a 2–1 Barcelona victory. In 1974, Atlético won the Intercontinental Cup after Bayern Munich refused to play, becoming world champions decades before Barcelona, who only won their first world title in 2009. From the 2010s onwards, with Atlético re-establishing itself as a consistent contender, the duels regained prominence. This included three UEFA Champions League quarter-final meetings (2014, 2016, and 2026), with Atlético eliminating Barcelona on all three occasions. In the final round of 2013–14 La Liga, Atlético ended an eighteen-year drought without being Spanish champions by winning a direct confrontation at Camp Nou.

In Their Own Story

The first meeting between the two clubs took place on 19 April 1925, in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey at Barcelona's old Les Corts stadium. Josep Samitier scored the first goal in the 30th minute, but Atlético turned the score around through Vicente Palacios and Andrés Tuduri. Barcelona, however, fought back with a penalty from Emili Sagi-Barba in the 62nd minute and another from Samitier in the 75th to win 3–2. In the second leg, Atlético won 2–1, forcing a playoff in Zaragoza on 3 May, where Barcelona won 2–1 and went on to become champions. The following season, they met in the 1926 Copa del Rey final at Mestalla Stadium. Atlético led 2–0 with goals from Palacios and Cosme, but Barcelona equalized through Samitier and Just, and Paulino Alcántara scored the winner four minutes from the end of extra time for a 3–2 victory. The early years were marked by high-scoring games: results included 5–1 and 4–4 in the 1930s, 6–0 and 5–4 in 1941, and a 6–4 for Atlético in 1950.

Reader's Guide

**Origin:** Barcelona was founded in 1899, Atlético de Madrid in 1903. The first meeting was only in 1925, in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. Atlético was originally a subsidiary of Athletic Bilbao, which prevented them from competing in the Copa del Rey until the legal separation at the turn of the 1910s to the 1920s. **Biggest Clashes:** The 1926 Copa del Rey final (3–2 to Barcelona after Atlético led 2–0). The 1973–74 season saw both clubs occupy the top two positions, with Cruijff's famous 'Flying Dutchman' goal. In the 2013–14 La Liga final round, Atlético won the title at Camp Nou. The three Champions League quarter-final meetings in 2014, 2016, and 2026 all ended with Atlético eliminating Barcelona. **What Makes It Fierce:** Despite both having Real Madrid as their main rival, the matches are not friendlies. The rivalry was especially strong in the 1970s when Atlético consistently challenged Barcelona's title count. In women's football, the main classic in Spanish football is traditionally between these two clubs. The mutual animosity is reflected in the near-equal number of expulsions: 38 for Barcelona and 39 for Atlético between 1925 and 2026.

Did You Know?

• The first match between the clubs was on 19 April 1925, in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, 22 years after Atlético was founded.
• Johan Cruijff scored a famous 'Flying Dutchman' goal against Atlético on 23 December 1973, using an acrobatic karate-like kick.
• Atlético won the 1974 Intercontinental Cup after Bayern Munich refused to play, becoming world champions decades before Barcelona.
• In women's football, the main classic in Spanish football is traditionally between Atlético and Barcelona, not Real Madrid.
• As of 2026, there had been 254 matches across all competitions, with 116 wins for Barcelona and 81 for Atlético.