Barcelona vs Real Madrid: The best El Clásico clashes from the last decade

Real Madrid CF v FC Barcelona  - La Liga
Real Madrid CF v FC Barcelona - La Liga / DeFodi Images/Getty Images
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Despite both Barcelona and Real Madrid not being the forces they were a few years ago, El Clásico remains the highlight of Spanish football and perhaps the European game as a whole.

So with that in mind, we've had a look back at the very best we've witnessed in the last ten or so years. Fasten your seatbelts.


Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid (2012)

Jose Mourinho's spell at Real Madrid didn't produce too many El Clásico victories but this is one glaring exception and it all but secured his first and only La Liga title with the club.

Sami Khedira put Los Blancos one up but his goal was cancelled out by Alexis Sánchez almost immediately. And then in true Ronaldo fashion, Cristiano Ronaldo smashed home the winner and told the Camp Nou to be quiet.


Real Madrid 2-3 Barcelona (2013)

"Jordi Alba, LIONEL MESSIIIIII!!!! Oh my goodness, Lionel Messi has done it again he's superhuman!"

That's probably all you need to hear about this league fixture in 2013.

Casemiro put Madrid ahead before Messi and Rakitić put Barca on top. Ramos was sent off for fouling Messi, again, and then against the run of play, James Rodríguez secured what Madrid thought was a point stealing equaliser. The Argentinian magician had other ideas though and hit the miraculous winner deep into injury time.


Real Madrid 1-0 Barcelona (2011)

Real Madrid v Barcelona - Copa del Rey Final
Real Madrid v Barcelona - Copa del Rey Final / David Ramos/Getty Images

Mourinho's first trophy at the Bernabeu as Real edged out their rivals in a tense Copa del Rey final in 2011. It was a close encounter, with both sides spurning chances to score in both halves before Ronaldo came up trumps for Los Blancos.

The Portuguese forward jumped so high, he utterly dwarfed Barca's defence and in the 113th minute, the game and the cup was Madrid's...that was until Ramos dropped it off the bus during the trophy parade.


Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona (2014)

Oh boy, I bet Gareth Bale wishes he could turn back time now. The Welshman may well be on his way out of the Bernabeu very soon, but at least he has this magical moment to define his stay in the Spanish capital.

Has anyone seen Marc Bartra - who actually scored in the match - since the Copa del Rey final of 2014? Because he got so very lost trying to chase Bale, who displayed one the greatest turns of pace seen this century, to fly down the left and bury the winner.


Real Madrid 0-2 Barcelona (2011)

Pep Guardiola & Jose Mourinho
Pep Guardiola & Jose Mourinho / Alex Livesey/Getty Images

One of the tastiest Mourinho vs. Guardiola fixtures on this list. The rivalry and mind games were rife and a place in the Champions League final was at stake when the sides met in Madrid in 2011.

Mourinho tried some left-field defensive tactics to thwart Barcelona but it backfired when Pepe was sent off and the Blaugrana took full advantage. Messi hit the two crucial away goals including a phenomenal dance through the Real defensive line for the second. Barca would go on to win the trophy a month later.


Real Madrid 3-4 Barcelona (2014)

The greatest El Clásico ever? I mean, this match from 2014 had virtually everything. Iniesta fired Barcelona ahead after seven minutes before Benzema hit two to give Madrid a deserved lead.

Messi equalised before Ronaldo put Los Blancos ahead for the second time. Then Ramos did the inevitable and got himself sent off and Messi hit two successive penalties to secure himself a hat-trick and Barcelona; a historic and electrifying victory.