New Delhi: Like always, the El Classico is bringing a lot of excitement, though this time, a lot is at stake when Real Madrid face Barcelona in Santiago Bernabeu. Carlo Ancelotti’s men are on the brink of equalling the record for staying unbeaten in most La Liga games. In a strange circle of events, Barca is currently holding the record of staying unbeaten, having recorded their 43-game streak between 2017 and 2018.
The last time Real Madrid lost was in the Madrid Derby on September 2023, when Atletico Madrid won 3-1. Since that game, they have won 31 times and played 11 draws. The defending champions lifted their 36th title with a gap of 10 points and lifted a double, winning the Champions League undefeated.
🚨 Real Madrid are 42 La Liga games unbeaten. pic.twitter.com/190RivJtx2
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) October 19, 2024
Since losing to Atletico, Madrid have looked at a different side, with Vinicius Junior scoring the most number of goals in the league than any other player in the league since the game, having found the back of the net 19 times. Madrid’s midfielder Jude Bellingham is the second-best with 14 goals.
Madrid’s defence has also had a good record, with Federico Valverde playing a central role in Los Blancos’ undefeated run. He has played in all but one game and has helped Real maintain a clean sheet on 23 occasions.
Comparison of the two La Liga giants
Barca’s first victim was Real Sociedad, who lost 3-2 in April 2017. Their run ended when they lost 5-4 to minnows Levante in May 2018, with just two games remaining of going unbeaten in the complete season. For Barca, many things were in their favour, with Lionel Messi in red-hot form and managing 58 goal involvements. Vinicius and Bellingham combined have only 48.
Barcelona had won three more games than Real, with their 34 wins and took 111 points as opposed to Los Blancos’ 104, playing just one game less. In defence, Real’s record is better, keeping 23 clean sheets as opposed to 19 from Barcelona, and they have conceded only 27 times, whereas Barca conceded 33 goals.
Record for most games without a loss in La Liga history: Barcelona (43 games)
Real Madrid’s current unbeaten streak in La Liga: 42 games
Next week: Real Madrid vs Barcelona 👀 pic.twitter.com/2tCQffbngx
— Madrid Zone (@theMadridZone) October 20, 2024
For Real, their biggest benefit is that Ancelotti has been in charge through and through while Ernesto Valverde replaced Luis Enrique as Barca’s manager at the end of the 2016-17 season. While there is a lot of buzz around the possibility of Madrid equalling the record, Barcelona’s feat was never recognised after crashing out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals.
Real have faced Barca three times during their unbeaten streak and have won all three games, including their win in the Spanish Supercopa final. For them, the next target will be breaking Bayern Munich’s record of 53 games, set in 2014.
To equal the record first, they need to go through Barcelona, who have had an amazing season under new manager Hansi Flick. They have played some exciting football with nine wins and 33 goals from the ten league games so far. Whereas, Madrid have occasionally looked rather weak and are trailing Barca in the points table by three points.
