Spanish Clubs

It’s really, really not supposed to happen now. 

It feels next to impossible at this point, although one look at the LaLiga table shows that Atlético Madrid, by virtue of a single point, still controls its own destiny in the title race with eight matches remaining following Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Real Betis.

But the narrative has changed. Rather than the feel-good tale of a team tinkering with new methods of expression, this is now a horror story — and like all good depictions of the macabre, you cannot look away.   

Sergiño Dest became the first American to appear in El Clásico in October. On Saturday he became the first American to score with his butt in El Clásico.

Dest’s rear end accidentally sent a Toni Kroos free kick into the back of the net for what proved to be the winner as Real Madrid edged Barcelona 2-1 on Saturday at a cold, wet and rainy Alfredo Di Stéfano Stadium. 

El Clasico is the biggest rivalry in sports, featuring the biggest stars in the biggest venues with some of the biggest prizes in soccer generally on the line. So who are the El Clasico top scorers, the players who shine when the lights are brightest and the pressure is on? We made a list, and it has some pretty impressive names on it.

MADRID — A streaker who ran onto the pitch during Granada's home clash with Manchester United showed true commitment to the cause, sneaking into the stadium 14 hours before kickoff and hiding under canvas to evade security.

MADRID - Barcelona forward Antoine Griezmann has been spared having to remember three different dates to mark the birthdays of each of his three children — as they were all born on April 8.

When the French World Cup winner confirmed on social media that his wife Erika Choperena had given birth to a baby daughter on Thursday, remarkably it was on the same date as their elder children, Mia (born in 2016) and Amaro (born in 2019).

Real Madrid is not Arsenal. That much was evident as Liverpool’s win over the latter on Saturday looked far in the rear-view mirror following a defeat to the former in the Champions League on Tuesday.