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<SPAN class=art-title2>The Classic: Real Madrid-Barcelona</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
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<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Ronaldinho battles with Sergio Ramos in an 'El Derby' encounter on 1 April 2006 at Camp Nou.
</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>PHILIPPE DESMAZES
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<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">20 Oct 2006</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>There are few sporting contests that carry quite the same passion as a Real Madrid-Barcelona clash. Their meetings regularly captivate millions of fans, not only in their homeland but across the footballing world. As the big day approaches, countless Spaniards, including many who would ordinarily be immune from the charms of the beautiful game, get swept along by the fervour of the big event and don the colours of their favourites.
This Sunday, 80,000 lucky fans will pack the Santiago Bernabeu to witness a spectacle that will contain many of the finest players on the planet. Collectively, the clubs can boast no fewer than eight world champions among their numbers, namely: Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Fabio Cannavaro for the home side, and Lilian Thuram, Ronaldinho, and Gianluca Zambrotta for the Catalans.
That said, this latest meeting of the age-old rivals will take place without two of its star attractions. Samuel Eto'o, Barcelona's most potent attacker, will have to watch from the stands after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in late September, while Fabio Capello will have to do without Ronaldo, the Brazilian having picked up a red card in last weekend's outing against Sevilla.
However, it is not just in recent times that the teams have had such a glittering array of stars at their disposal. Down the years some of the greatest players ever to grace the sport have taken the field for the big two, including Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Santillana, Hugo Sanchez, Emilio Butragueno, Michel and Zidane for Madrid, and among others Ladislao Kubala, Luis Suarez, Johann Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman, Rivaldo and Romario for the Blaugrana (Claret and Blues).<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><IMG id=SECIMG18150 height=150 alt="Two men who swapped clubs. Luis Figo (L) wearing the white of Real Madrid, while Luis Enrique is in the Blaugrana. " src="http://www.fifa.com/images/cms/afp/Clasico_Real_Barca_2.jpg" width=150 border=0></TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Two men who swapped clubs. Luis Figo (L) wearing the white of Real Madrid, while Luis Enrique is in the Blaugrana. </SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRSOURCE><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Side swappers
And there is another even more exclusive list of players worth mentioning, those who took the brave decision to take the Puente Aereo (the route connecting Barcelona and Madrid) and swap clubs. Di Stefano, Bernd Schuster, Michael Laudrup, Luis Enrique, Luis Figo and Ronaldo are just some of the stars who broke the hearts and invoked the wrath of their former supporters, for whom changing allegiances is an act of unforgivable treason.
The Spanish powerhouses have been battling each other for more than a century, not only to secure the services of the game's finest players but also to outdo each other in the silverware stakes - something Madrid currently have the edge in. Despite a barren spell in recent s
<SPAN class=art-title2>The Classic: Real Madrid-Barcelona</SPAN> <TABLE cellSpacing=5 cellPadding=5 width=150 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>
</TD></TR><TR class=paddingall><TD vAlign=top>
<SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Ronaldinho battles with Sergio Ramos in an 'El Derby' encounter on 1 April 2006 at Camp Nou.</SPAN><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN> <SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>PHILIPPE DESMAZES
</SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
<SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif">(FIFA.com)</SPAN> <SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10px; FONT-FAMILY: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">20 Oct 2006</SPAN>
<SPAN class=art-text>There are few sporting contests that carry quite the same passion as a Real Madrid-Barcelona clash. Their meetings regularly captivate millions of fans, not only in their homeland but across the footballing world. As the big day approaches, countless Spaniards, including many who would ordinarily be immune from the charms of the beautiful game, get swept along by the fervour of the big event and don the colours of their favourites.
This Sunday, 80,000 lucky fans will pack the Santiago Bernabeu to witness a spectacle that will contain many of the finest players on the planet. Collectively, the clubs can boast no fewer than eight world champions among their numbers, namely: Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Fabio Cannavaro for the home side, and Lilian Thuram, Ronaldinho, and Gianluca Zambrotta for the Catalans.
That said, this latest meeting of the age-old rivals will take place without two of its star attractions. Samuel Eto'o, Barcelona's most potent attacker, will have to watch from the stands after tearing the meniscus in his right knee in late September, while Fabio Capello will have to do without Ronaldo, the Brazilian having picked up a red card in last weekend's outing against Sevilla.
However, it is not just in recent times that the teams have had such a glittering array of stars at their disposal. Down the years some of the greatest players ever to grace the sport have taken the field for the big two, including Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Santillana, Hugo Sanchez, Emilio Butragueno, Michel and Zidane for Madrid, and among others Ladislao Kubala, Luis Suarez, Johann Cruyff, Diego Maradona, Hristo Stoichkov, Ronald Koeman, Rivaldo and Romario for the Blaugrana (Claret and Blues).<TABLE id=IMGTAB height=150 cellSpacing=3 cellPadding=0 width=150 align=left summary="" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD><IMG id=SECIMG18150 height=150 alt="Two men who swapped clubs. Luis Figo (L) wearing the white of Real Madrid, while Luis Enrique is in the Blaugrana. " src="http://www.fifa.com/images/cms/afp/Clasico_Real_Barca_2.jpg" width=150 border=0></TD></TR><TR id=TRCAP><TD vAlign=bottom align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_normal>Two men who swapped clubs. Luis Figo (L) wearing the white of Real Madrid, while Luis Enrique is in the Blaugrana. </SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRSOURCE><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold>(AFP)</SPAN></TD></TR><TR id=TRAUTHOR><TD align=left><SPAN class=textblack11px_bold></SPAN></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
Side swappers
And there is another even more exclusive list of players worth mentioning, those who took the brave decision to take the Puente Aereo (the route connecting Barcelona and Madrid) and swap clubs. Di Stefano, Bernd Schuster, Michael Laudrup, Luis Enrique, Luis Figo and Ronaldo are just some of the stars who broke the hearts and invoked the wrath of their former supporters, for whom changing allegiances is an act of unforgivable treason.
The Spanish powerhouses have been battling each other for more than a century, not only to secure the services of the game's finest players but also to outdo each other in the silverware stakes - something Madrid currently have the edge in. Despite a barren spell in recent s