The 255th meeting between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, known as El Clásico, will take place on October 28, 2023. Both clubs are among the most valuable and most supported in the world, with brands that transcend national and cultural boundaries. They are often recognised as one of the few major rivalries in all of global sports.
The period of the spectacular Lionel Messi-Cristiano Ronaldo duels that powered this historic La Liga rivalry for a decade, however, has passed. Boardroom even questioned whether El Clásico was still relevant two years ago.
Fortunately, a new era for Spain’s most bitter rivalry is emerging, with enough of star power to spare.
A quartet of high-profile summer additions — two from each team — adds to the heat.
For the Galácticos, 20-year-old British superstar Jude Bellingham has quickly become the team’s most consequential acquisition in years following a €103 million transfer over the summer from Borussia Dortmund. Veteran goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga, meanwhile, came over on loan from Chelsea after starter Thibaut Courtois tore his ACL in August.
On the Barcelona side, all-world right-back João Cancelo arrived on loan from Manchester City after an incredible trophy-winning run. Winger João Félix has found new life for the Catalan club thanks to a loan from Atlético Madrid, where he never found his groove after a massive €127 million transfer from Benfica in 2019.
Let’s take a closer look at the numbers behind El Clásico.
| FC BARCELONA | Club | REAL MADRID CF |
| 1899 | Founded | 1902 |
| Spotify Camp Nou (99,354) | Stadium (Capacity) |
Santiago Bernabéu (81,044) |
| Supporters association | Owner | Supporters association |
| Xavi | Manager | Carlo Ancelotti |
| Sergi Roberto | Captain | Nacho |
| 27 | La Liga titles | 35 |
| 5 | champion league titles | 14 |
| 100 | All-time H2H wins | 102 |
| 74 | All-time H2H wins in La Liga | 77 |
Financial Footprint
Transfer figures and estimated market values are via Transermarkt unless otherwise noted.
| FC BARCELONA | REAL MADRID CF | |
| $5.51 billion (3) | FORBES VALUATION (Global rank) |
$6.07 billion (1) |
| $4.95 billion (3) | SPORTICO VALUATION (Global rank) |
$5.23 billion (2) |
| Philippe Coutinho (€135 million) | RECORD TRANSFER BUY | Eden Hazard (€115 million) |
| Neymar (€222 million) | RECORD TRANSFER SALE | Cristiano Ronaldo (€117 million) |
| €862 million | EST. ROSTER MARKET VALUE |
€1.03 billion |
| Pedri (€100 million) | EST. NO. 1 PLAYER MARKET VALUE |
Vinicius Jr., Jude Bellingham (€150 million) |
Check out Boardroom’s full 2023-24 salary and contract breakdowns for:
Real Madrid
Barcelona