Real Madrid versus Barcelona is regarded by many as the most captivating fixture in world football. But it is not only the on-pitch battles that have forged their rivalry. From General Franco and bloody civil war to the Catalan city of Barcelona's lukewarm reaction to Spain's recent World Cup and European Championship triumphs, bitterness is never far from the surface.
In El Clásico, Richard Fitzpatrick charts the key political and historical flashpoints between the two clubs. With exclusive interviews with key figures, including Luís Figo, Hristo Stoichkov, Joan Laporta and Vicente del Bosque, El Clásico is the definitive guide to football's greatest feud.
Richard Fitzpatrick was born in Ireland. He has worked as a journalist in Dublin, San Francisco and Toronto. He currently lives in Barcelona, where he covers football for the Irish Times, New York Times and El País among others.
Table of Contents
Foreword Guillem Balague vii
Prologue ix
Introduction 1
1 The Differentiating Fact 9
2 He Preferred to Sign Death Sentences 27
3 Dreams from My Father 46
4 Manita 56
5 Is That All There Is? 70
6 All the President's Men 86
7 Change Is Always Good - If it's for the Better 93
