The much-anticipated El Clasico takes place this weekend, which will once again see Real Madrid superstar Cristiano Ronaldo go head to head with FC Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi.
Los Blancos go into the match with a slightly better form guide as they are yet to lose a game in La Liga this season and are six points clear of the Blaugrana in the league table.
In recent times, the match has been hyped up around the rivalry between Messi and Ronaldo, but thanks to FourFourTwo and Opta Sports, we are able to take a closer look at how these two footballers have performed in this fixture over the years.
Messi's performance in El Clasicos
- The Argentine is the fixture's top goalscorer, with 21 strikes.
- Of the 21 goals the 29-year-old has scored in this famous encounter, 12 (57%) of them were netted at the Santiago Bernabeu.
- Messi has unfortunately had a dry spell of late against Los Blancos, though – he has failed to score in his past five Clasicos.
- The Argentina captain isn't just known for his goalscoring ability – he has also assisted 13 goals in 32 Clasico appearances.
Ronaldo's performance in El Clasicos
- Even though the Portugal captain has played less Clasicos than his rival, he has quite a dismal win ratio in the derby – he has managed to win just seven of the 25 fixtures he has played in.
- Ronaldo has scored 16 goals in this fixture, two less than Alfredo Di Stefano, who is Real's record goalscorer in the Clasico.
- Like Messi, the former Manchester United winger is more successful away from home when it comes to scoring in this fixture – 10 of his 16 goals in Clasicos were scored at the Camp Nou.
- Surprisingly, Ronaldo has managed just one assist in the 25 Clasicos he has featured in.
Who do you think will come out on top in Saturday's El Clasico? Have your say in the comments section below.
