Winner of Sunday's El Clasico takes sole lead after 106 wins each

Barcelona hosts Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, to settle a rivalry that has produced 106 victories for each side. The fixture, known as El Clasico, has been contested since 1902. A win on Sunday would give the victor a permanent one-game lead in the all-time record.

The two clubs have featured many of football's most prominent players over the decades. Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo defined earlier eras, while current squads include Lamine Yamal and Raphinha for Barcelona. Real Madrid fields Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Jr.

Historical context shows how these matches have shifted league titles. In April 2017, Barcelona won 3-2 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Lionel Messi scored his 500th career goal for the club in that match. Despite the victory, Real Madrid won the La Liga title by three points.

Another pivotal moment occurred in March 2007 at Camp Nou. A 19-year-old Messi scored a hat-trick as Barcelona drew 3-3 with Real Madrid. The match ended with Barcelona down to ten men. Real Madrid won the league that season by one point on head-to-head record.

In April 2005, Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 4-2 at home. The match featured goals from Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo Nazario, Raul, and Michael Owen. Barcelona's Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho scored in the loss, but Barcelona still claimed the league title by three points.

The 2009 season produced one of the largest margins in the rivalry. Barcelona won 6-2 at the Bernabeu on May 2, 2009. Thierry Henry scored two goals, with contributions from Messi, Carles Puyol, and Gerard Pique. Barcelona won that league by nine points.

The 2011 Copa del Rey final ended a 18-year domestic cup drought for Real Madrid. The match finished 0-0 after 90 minutes. Cristiano Ronaldo scored in extra time to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win. It was the first trophy for manager Jose Mourinho and the first domestic cup for the club since 1993.