Barça vs Real Madrid: who has the most wins after 253 Clásicos?
Xavi’s team could secure a place in the Copa del Rey final on Wednesday, and victory would also help them log another milestone in thier rivalry with Real Madrid.
Xavi’s Barcelona have an historic opportunity to achieve several goals on Wednesday night. First of all, eliminating Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals would enable the coach to reach his second final since taking charge of the team (after winning the Spanish Super Cup in January). It would also see Barça make it to their 43rd Copa final, a record and would pull the Catalans level with Madrid the overall balance in the history of the Clásicos with 101 victories each. In the 253 games that have been played so far between Barcelona and Real Madrid, the balance stands at 101 wins for Madrid, 100 for Barcelona and 52 draws.
Barcelona on top in three most recent clashes with Madrid
Wednesday’s return leg will be the 254th Clásico, with a place in the Copa final at stake. Barça go into the game with a 0-1 advantage from the first leg at the Bernabéu just over a month ago. Xavi’s men have gained the upper hand in their last three meetings with Real Madrid: in the final of the Spanish Super Cup (1-3), in the Copa semi-final first leg (0-1) and in the recent league match at Camp Nou (2-1).
In fact, in the seven occasions that Xavi Hernández and Carlo Ancelotti have faced each other, five have ended in favour of the blaugranas, to only two for the madridistas, with last season’s 0-4 win at the Bernabéu as a great epitome. Since taking the reins, Xavi has been able to reduce the differences between the two in the global head-to-head stats, to the point where only one victory separates them.
Likewise, in the global balance of goals, there is not much between them - just five goals’ difference: Real Madrid have scored 420 to Barcelona’s 415.
Busi landmark
It will also be an historic evening for Sergio Busquets who will establish himself as the player to have taken part in the most Clásicos in history with a total of 48 - three more than Sergio Ramos and Leo Messi.
On Wednesday, Barcelona and Real Madrid will face each other for one final time this season. It will be their fifth meeting of the 2022/3 campaign, after the two LaLiga games, the Super Cup final and both legs of the Copa tie. A tremendous epilogue, without a doubt, to one of the fiercest rivalries in world sport.