Rivalries in LaLiga transcend football. They are about culture, history, tradition, and legacy. Get to know the 9 iconic rivalries included in Eterno Rival and what makes them so special.
ElClásico
(FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid)
The “ElClásico” of Spanish football pits together Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two most successful and most followed clubs in LaLiga, both in Spain and at a global scale. When these two sides meet each other, the world comes to a standstill for ninety minutes.
It is a historic rivalry, not only in sporting terms but also in cultural and political aspects in Spain since the beginning of the last century. The success of both clubs, which between them have amassed a total of 18 titles in the top continental competition and over 60 LaLiga championships, means that some of the best players in football history have come face to face in “ElClásico”. Zidane vs. Ronaldinho, Messi vs. Cristiano Ronaldo are just a couple of duels that have left their mark on LaLiga and Spanish football forever, and which remain indelible in the memory of football fans around the world.
Over the course of the 185 matches played in LaLiga between the two giants, it’s a tight race between them. Los Blancos have taken 77 victories, with the Blaugrana winning 73 of the encounters.
TheMadridDerby
(Real Madrid vs. Atlético de Madrid)
One city, two fan bases, equal passion. “ElDerbi de Madrid” brings together two of the most important clubs in Spain and Europe. These two titans are a transcendental part of Spanish society and its capital: Madrid. They may share the city but make no mistake: in the eyes of their fans, these Clubs could not be more different.
Real Madrid and Atlético de Madrid, also known as the “merengues” and the “colchoneros”, form a rivalry marked not only by their clashes in domestic competitions but also at international level. These duels often doubled up as showdowns between legends from both sides, such as Paco Buyo vs. Paulo Futre. And then we have the case of Raúl González, who was a star at Atlético Madrid’s youth setup in the early 90s, only to become the captain and a reference for their cross-town arch-rivals.
To date, “ElDerbi de Madrid” is the most frequently played official match in Spanish football history. Even beyond borders, the Madrid derby can gloat about this fact too! All of this history positions the city of Madrid as one of the most important football hot spots in the world, with two such prestigious clubs that between them have won a total of 46 league titles, of which 35 have gone Real Madrid’s way and the remaining 11 Atlético’s.
ElGranDerbi
(Real Betis vs. Sevilla FC)
“ElGranDerbi” sees the two most important clubs of the entire Andalusian region and its capital face each other. Sevilla FC and Real Betis Balompié are two historic clubs that are part of the prestigious group of nine Spanish clubs to have at least one LaLiga title in their trophy cabinets - both won in the first half of the 20th century.
Seville is a city divided between Béticos and Sevillistas, between green and red, which is why many describe “ElGrandDerbi” as the derby that is played every day. The banter - or Guassa as they call it in Andalusia - is present year-round between fans of both clubs in every corner of the city, be it in the corner café, at work, or in the queue at the supermarket. A unique, fun, and exciting rivalry in a city with a special flavor.
The Basque Derby
(Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Club)
“El Derbi Vasco” is the name given to the football match and rivalry between the two main teams of the Basque Country, a region in northern Spain located on the border with France. These clubs are known as Athletic Club de Bilbao and Real Sociedad de Fútbol de San Sebastián, each referencing where they hail from in their name.
These two teams have maintained this rivalry for over 110 years of history. Contrary to your usual rivalries, there’s a great atmosphere between both fan bases, which makes every derby day a special party in the home team’s city.
One of the facts that made “El Derbi Vasco” even more special in the last century is that both teams exclusively used players born in the Basque territory. This philosophy was changed at Real Sociedad from the 80s onwards, but Athletic Club maintains it to this day, making Los Leones a unique club in the football world. Between the two, these clubs have accumulated a total of ten LaLiga titles, making them two of the most distinguished clubs in the Spanish league.
In all matches played between the two Basque teams in LaLiga, the balance of wins has fallen on more occasions to the team from Bilbao. Los Leones have taken 62 wins, compared to the 55 victories for the Txuri-urdin.
The Catalán Derby
(FC Barcelona vs. RCD Espanyol de Barcelona)
“El Derbi Catalán” or the Barcelona Derby is a match that pits together the two clubs that most represent Catalunya and the city of Barcelona: FC Barcelona and RCD Espanyol. This is one of the greatest derbies in Spanish football and is one of the most contested matches in the history of LaLiga.
During its matches, the city of Barcelona comes to a halt and is divided in two - characterized by the colors of its clubs and its fan bases. A rivalry with over 120 years of history that intensified during the first half of the last century, leaving for posterity many moments that are part of the heritage of LaLiga.
The balance in this derby has a clear bias towards the Camp Nou team, with a total of 101 victories for Barça in 174 matches played to date, with 34 wins going to Espanyol’s side. Culés and Péricos: two ways of thinking football in the city of Barcelona.
The Valencia Derby
(Valencia CF vs. Levante UD)
“El Derbi Valenciano” is played between the two biggest teams in the coastal city of Valencia: Valencia CF and Levante UD. A century-old rivalry, since both clubs met for the first time in 1920, but one that has been awakening in the last couple of decades with the growth of Levante, who over the past years had consolidated its position in the top tier of Spanish football, despite the club’s unfortunate relegation last season.
In the balance of victories in LaLiga, the clear dominator in this duel are “Los Che”. Valencia have been champions of LaLiga on six occasions (twice in the 21st century), and have won 14 matches of the 29 times these two teams have faced each other. On the other hand, their “Granotas” neighbors.
One of the greatest curiosities in this rivalry lies in the fact that neither of the two clubs has ever managed to ever do the double over the other in a LaLiga season, something that demonstrates the tough competition between the two whenever “El Derbi Valenciano” comes around.
The Galician Derby
(RC Celta deVigo vs. Deportivo de la Coruña)
Real Club Celta de Vigo and Deportivo de la Coruña represent another historic LaLiga rivalry located in the north of Spain, in Galicia to be more specific.
Both clubs are the emblem of the two most important cities in the region: A Coruña and Vigo. Bathed by the Atlantic, the influence the ocean has on this community and its workforce is huge. The significance of this is reflected in both clubs’ colors: blue.
“El Derbi Gallego”, known among its fans as “o noso derbi”, has pitted these two clubs against each other on more than 200 occasions and is one of the most evenly matched rivalries in the history of LaLiga, with 26 wins for the Celestes and 25 for the team from A Coruña. However, Deportivo holds the greatest bragging rights amongst the two, boasting a league title in the 1999/2000 season. The relegation of the Deportivo side in the 2017/2018 season has deprived the Galician community of enjoying “El Derbi Gallego” for the time being.
Valencia CF vs. Villarreal CF
The Derbi de la Comunitat is the youngest of our rivalries. In the face-off between the two most successful clubs of the Valencian Community (or Region, if you prefer) in the last 25 years, Valencia CF play Villarreal CF for regional bragging rights.
Separated by 56 kilometers, both clubs have maintained a cordial relationship marked by the great difference between the two teams throughout the 20th century.
However, following Villarreal’s meteoric rise since the late 90s, the Yellow Submarine - a nickname borne from their yellow main kit - can boast the advantage in their head-to-head record in the Spanish top tier. Villarreal has managed 19 wins over Los Che, while Valencia have got 17 wins across the 44 matches played between the pair.
For its part, Valencia is one of the most successful clubs in Spain, with a total of 6 LaLiga titles, two of which were won at the beginning of this century, in what is considered to be the last great era of the Mestalla club.
Atlético de Madrid vs. FC Barcelona
Without constituting any kind of local or regional rivalry, the matches between Atlético de Madrid and Barcelona are one of the clashes with the most history and tradition in LaLiga.
Both teams are on the Spanish podium for most titles in their trophy cabinet and their head-to-head showdowns have produced some of the most memorable moments in the history of the Spanish league. From Johan Cruyff’s iconic goal in 1973 to Diego Godin’s final matchday header at Camp Nou in 2014 that led the way for Atlético to grab their tenth league title, this game has it all!
“El SuperDuelo”, as it is now known, has a favorable balance towards the “blaugrana” team, with a total of 76 wins in 170 matches played. In contrast, “los colchoneros” have won 52 games in the rivalry’s history.
