The El Clasico is the name given to any match between two famous football clubs, Barcelona and Real Madrid. 227 such encounters have been held to date with Lionel Messi being the top scorer with 26 goals scored. Sergio Ramous, on the other hand holds the honor of most appearances with a toll of 44. Barcelona has more victories than its rival where the number tops 115.
The event attracts millions of spectators from all over the globe and is one of the most watched fixtures in the world. The reason behind the renown of this occasion is probably the involvement of world’s two best footballers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. There has always been strong comparison between these two players and the fact that they both feature in one of the most popular matches reflects the fairness of the comparison. The former is a Portuguese national, whereas the latter is from Argentina. People are rejoiced to see the two competing against each other and it really is thrilling to spectate such a nail-biting clash.
But recently, some objections and disagreements have forced Ronaldo to leave the Spanish Club for Juventus, which is an Italian Football Club. The player claims that he felt he was no longer indispensable in the eyes of Blancos president, Florentino Perez. And that his request for a salary rise, following Madrid’s 2018 Champions League triumph, was turned down. “I felt within the club, especially from the president, that I was no longer considered in the same way as I was at the beginning,” the star was quoted as saying in a 2018 interview with France Football.
Now that Ronaldo plays for Juventus, Marco Asensio features as a replacement for him in Real Madrid. This transfer was a shudder for the entire football industry and more importantly, a tremor for El Clasico.
On the other hand, Barcelona legend, Lionel Messi seems unwilling to renew his contract, which is set to expire in 2021. He has called off negotiations to renew his contract for the club and is ready to leave the club as soon as his contract invalidates. Messi states that he is irked with the lack of quality of the club, and that leaked media reports blame him for events at the club such as, sacking of coach Ernesto Valverde. With this news, the future of El Clasico appears to be uncertain as both the spearheads have opted out of the Spanish Clubs, with Messi’s decision still to be finalized.
If Messi confirms his departure, there would be no real competition left at the El Clasico and the thrill might gradually deplete.
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