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.

“Top football writing” –   Dara Ó Briain

“By taking Barça vs Madrid beyond the boundaries of sport, Fitzpatrick offers an absorbing history of the two cities’ political and cultural flashpoints, and how this has matured into one of the most fiery rivalries on earth. Suberbly researched, it’s a fascinating read” –   FourFourTwo

“A fascinating and detailed attempt to get to the heart of one of the most complicated and poisonous rivalries in football” –  Guardian

“For anyone who wants to understand why Barcelona v Real Madrid means so much more than a straightforward match between an unparalleled array of footballing stars, this book should become essential reading” –  Guillem Balague, Sky Sports

“Richard Fitzpatrick ... is an objective examiner of the complex political and social reasons this rivalry was born and nurtured, unearthing some surprising facts along the way ... Engrossing” –  Independent

“Fitzpatrick’s tales of some the world’s best football players will hold you at every page” –  Irish Examiner

“Richard Fitzpatrick’s enormously enjoyable take on the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona” –  Irish Times

“Once I picked up El Clásico, I couldn’t stop reading. It’s unbelievably good … Absolutely fascinating” –  Mark Lawrenson

“Fitzpatrick's book is invaluable for the context that it gives a match that you might have watched superficially for years” –  Observer

“The greatest story in club football is the El Clasico opera. Richard Fitzpatrick delves deep to enhance our understanding of this intense rivalry. Power, politics and most of all the brilliance of the football are all on show in these pages” –  Paul Hayward, Daily Telegraph

“Any fan of the game will start reading for the football, be enticed deeper by the quality of writing and research and enthralled by the depth and scope of El Clásico” –  The Book Bag

“Carefully positioning himself as an outsider … Fitzpatrick gives voice to a huge range of opinions and personal stories from both sides of the fence… [which] makes El Clàsicosuch a satisfying read” –  When Saturday Comes Magazine