El Clasico: Barcelona v Real Madrid

Barcelona and Real Madrid: two of the most powerful and popular clubs in world football, and one of the world's most bitter sporting rivalries. Going far beyond the boundaries of just sport alone, this is a rivalry at the heart of Spanish life, taking in politics and culture and splitting a country in two. El Clasico gets to the heart of that rivalry, investigating the intrigue, the larger-than-life characters, the key flashpoints and their consequences. From civil war bloodshed to 40 years of fascism and links with General Franco, the clubs' shared history is the stuff of a Robert Harris novel and includes: murdered presidents from both clubs, player kidnappings, acts of hooliganism - and that's before you start thinking of the volatile football matches themselves. The book contains numerous interviews with key figures such as Luis Figo and Hristo Stoichkov (two of the main hate figures from both clubs), Joan Laporta (Barcelona's most successful president and, having entered politics, Catalonian separatism's poster boy) and various ex-players, ex-managers, agents, referees, hooligans, editors, historians, sociologists, filmmakers, novelists, photographers, TV presenters and celebrity fans. The two clubs are packed with international superstar players - including the world's two best players in Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo - and 10 of the starting 11 players from Spain's 2010 World Cup final victory play with either Barcelona or Real Madrid. This is a story with resonance around the sporting world, with many instantly recognisable figures to an international audience such as Jose Mourinho. But it is also a tale of a country divided by a bitter rivalry. Fitzpatrick's book is invaluable for the context that it gives a match that you might have watched superficially for years Observer 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 Once I picked up El Clasico, I couldn't stop reading. It's unbelievably good ... Absolutely fascinating Mark Lawrenson 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 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 Top football writing Dara O Briain By taking Barca 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 Fitzpatrick's tales of some the world's best football players will hold you at every page Irish Examiner 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 Clasico such a satisfying read When Saturday Comes Magazine Richard Fitzpatrick's enormously enjoyable take on the rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona Irish Times 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 Clasico The Book Bag