The 30th round of la Liga 2020/21 will kick off this weekend, and the most anticipated game for fans is presumably the Spanish national derby staged at 3:00 a.m. Beijing time on April 11.
As the league draws to a close, the situation of the title battle is becoming more and more confusing, although Atletico currently maintains the top position, but the second place Barca is only 1 point away from the former, and Real Madrid is only 3 points behind, so for these two teams, the possibility of rushing to the top of the table is also getting bigger and bigger. Barca's home defeat in the first round of the national derby of the season has strengthened the team's determination to "revenge", and this time Real Madrid sit at the Bernabeu, defending the home victory is their primary goal.
As the battle for the national derby begins, the long-awaited match is about to begin, La Liga star Fernando Sanz, who played for Real Madrid, looks back on his memories of the national derby and describes his passion for this classic event.
This is the national derby in my heart
La Liga star Fernando Sans
La Liga 2020/21 is very special because since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic there won't be fans in the stands, but I'm sure on the other side of the screen there are even more fans than usual, and their passion will be on the pitch as usual.
The Spanish National Derby is the best match between two clubs in world football, and that won't change even in this era when fans are so accustomed to major matches. We will see Ronald Koeman's young squad against Zidane' brilliant squad, and of course Messi against Ramos, Griezmann against Benzema, and the future of world football – Trincon, Vinicius and Rodrigo. It's a pinnacle showdown between two of the world's most valuable and supporter-rich clubs, and no other competition, league or performance in the world can bring together so many top stars like the National Derby.
As far as I know, long before La Liga made the national derby into the global phenomenon and audiovisual feast it is today, there were 650 million viewers around the world paying attention to the national derby, and the pin-and-needle competition between Real Madrid and Barca over Mai Mang has been known and talked about many years ago. I remember going to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium with my siblings and father as a kid to watch the derby, and their game was exciting, the players on the field were passionate, and the fans in the stands were nervous. I've been a Real Madrid member for 40 years, and yet you never get tired of the national derby. It's a game worth the fans waiting for, and no matter what the winner or loser is, when you get home after watching the ball, you'll have a feeling of being deep in the heart of the football world for hours, recalling the best game moments while the adrenaline is still high. When I discuss tactics with my family, all the cheers make my throat dry. The National Derby is a two-week game – seven days before and seven days after the final whistle, and its impact is evident.
One of the most special for me was the derby at the Bernabeu in February 1997, when I made my first appearance in the national derby. Fabio Capello sent me on the pitch with 15 minutes left in the game – what a wonderful 15 minutes! I was playing against the best Player 9 in the world, Da Luo. In addition to him, I was confronted in this match by Luis Figo, Luis Enrique and Guardiola. I was accompanied by Roberto Carlos, Fernando Redondo, Clarence Seedorf and Predrago Mijatović. From these lists of players, it's easy to see how big the national derby is. When you're in the derby, you're honored because you're being watched by millions of people, and you're sure to be envied by a lot of people, because there are countless people who are eager to be on the field. The National Derby has left Spain crowded; not only that, from Sydney in Australia to Lima in Peru, this game is a hot topic of conversation among kids all over the world, which is really amazing. In my opinion, the journey from young player to veteran at Real Madrid means the realization of childhood dreams. When I stood in the stands and cheered for Santillana, Juanito and the Real Madrid Five Eagles, I felt like being one of them was my great dream. Suddenly, the fans who supported me also appeared – I was only 23 years old at the time, and I couldn't sleep for a long time the night after the game.
In my concept, being able to play in the national derby means that as a Real Madrid youth graduate, I have reached a small peak of career progress, which is one of the highest moments of my career. I know I'm not the only player who has chosen to join Real Madrid or Barca because I want to play in a national derby, and there are many world-class players like me, because it's so attractive to play in a game like this, and you can definitely understand what it means to be a star who can play in a national derby. Among these recognized top stars, in addition to Pele, Alfredo di Stéfano, Cruyff, Maradona, Zidane, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have all performed in the national derby, which is why these two clubs are the best in football. Although we were unable to attend the Bernabeu to watch this weekend's showdown due to the pandemic, the excitement has been unforgettable since watching our first national derby.
* Fernando Sanz: Director of International Institutional Relations for Clubs such as Real Madrid, Director of International Institutional Relations at La Liga, Responsible for La Liga Ambassadors and La Liga Legends, and President of the La Liga Foundation.