Real Madrid and Barcelona Make El Clasico History Within Seconds of Kick-Off

Real Madrid and Barcelona have made El Clasico history in the opening exchanges of their La Liga clash at the Bernabeu.

Real entered the derby two points ahead of their fierce rivals, having won eight and drawn one of their nine league matches so far this season.

Barca have been the highest scorers in the Spanish top flight, but suffered a surprise 4-1 defeat at Sevilla earlier this month.

Their rivals, meanwhile, showed that they have their own defensive frailties when they were thrashed 5-2 by inter-city rivals Atletico at the Wanda Metropolitano, though have only conceded four goals across their other matches.

During the 2010s, El Clasico was dominated by the Lionel Messi versus Cristiano Ronaldo rivalry, with the likes of Luis Suarez, Neymar, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale playing key roles.

Both sides have gone through transitions in recent seasons as the aforementioned players all left or retired from football, with a new generation of largely young talents taking each other on.

Jude Bellingham is one of those for Los Blancos, with the England midfielder now having started three consecutive matches for the first time this season since recovering from a shoulder injury.

And while much of the focus in Catalonian circles surrounds Lamine Yamal, it is Marcus Rashford that has been Barca's top performer in attack this campaign.

The 27-year-old, on loan from Manchester United, now has five goals and five assists for his new club after netting twice in Tuesday's 6-1 Champions League win over Olympiacos.

Rashford has now played a part in a piece of El Clasico history before even needing to touch the ball.

As per The Guardian, Sunday is the first time that two English players - Rashford for Barcelona, Bellingham for Real - have started an El Clasico on opposite sides in the history of the derby.

Trent Alexander-Arnold could have added to that record for Xabi Alonso's hosts, but was named on the bench as he continues his comeback from a hamstring injury that has sidelined him since mid-September.

Real signed a number of English players around the turn of the 21st century, with David Beckham, Steve McManaman and Jonathan Woodgate all making the prestigious move to the Bernabeu.

But Barca did not do likewise, with Rashford becoming the first English player to sign for Les Cules since Gary Lineker in 1986.

Both clubs employed several Englishmen back in the early 1900s, with the first recorded meeting between the two clubs - when Real were known as Madrid FC - taking place in 1902.