From Figo to Ronaldo: the Ideal XI of the ‘Traitors’ in the Classic

DEFENSES

BERND SCHUSTER

Eight years of culé and doubles treason. Although he did not establish himself as a defender, he functioned as a libero in his early years. In 1980 he moved from Cologne, Germany to Barcelona. During his time at this club, he retired at the age of 23 and with only 21 caps, when he refused to play a friendly match due to the birth of his first child. Bad relations with the press and media pressure, quarrels with the coach and teammates were a bad combination: he left Barcelona in 1988 and signed for Real Madrid, where he became part of the legendary Quinta del Buitre. But it wasn’t enough betray to Barça, since signing for Atlético de Madrid in 1990, enemy of the white set. As a culé he won 1 European Cup Winners’ Cup, 2 League Cup, 1 Spanish Super Cup, 3 Copa del Rey and 1 League. With Madrid, 2 competitions, 1 Copa del Rey and 1 Spanish Super Cup.

ALBERT CELADES

Given the lack of emblematic players in the position in this matter of betrayal, the name of Celades appears, acting as a defender on some occasions. He emerged from Barcelona’s youth academy, where he played in the first team from 1995 to 1999, making his debut by chance against Real Madrid. He then ended up at Celta de Vigo and spent a season, but the betrayal would come in 2000 when he signed for Merengue. He won two competitions as a culé and two as a white man. With those two shirts he also won a Copa del Rey, a Spanish Super Cup and a European Cup. With Madrid he won the European Cup and the Intercontinental Cup. Also a Cup Winners’ Cup with Barcelona.

Culé emblem, nicknamed the Magician and the Lobster Man because of his great skill. Key piece in the successful Barça of the 1920s. Thirteen years of Blaugrana and successes everywhere: 5 Spanish championships (the current Copa del Rey), 12 Catalan championships, the first league played in Spain (1928-29 season), 326 goals, second top scorer in the club’s history and top goalscorer in the history of FC Barcelona in the Copa del Rey with 63 goals. In 1933 he signed with Real Madrid due to financial problems. In white he won a league and a cup in two seasons.

MICHAEL LAUDRUP

Barcelona signed the Dane in 1989 because that was what Johan Cruijff wanted. In Catalonia he knew how to shine and was part of the remembered Dream Team of the early 1990s, as a key figure and one of three foreigners in that team (Ronald Koeman and Hristo Stoichkov were also there). But he had a different future planned: between 1994 and 1996 he was part of Real Madrid. Why did they want him in the White House? Well, for many of the successes achieved at Camp Nou: the 1992 European Cup and the four successive competitions. Why did you leave Barcelona? Cruijff no longer had room for foreigners when Romario was signed, meaning the Dane was a substitute for a long time. In white, he won the 1995 competition and took personal revenge on the Dutch coach by scoring in the 5-0 win over Barcelona. Strangely enough, he had scored the same score against Merengue in the Blaugrana’s defeat last season. In 1996 he emigrated to Japan.

LUIS MILLA

He joined Barcelona’s first team from youth academy in 1988. He established himself as a Barça player and that earned him a call-up to play for Spain. In 1990 he signed for Real Madrid, where he played until 1997. In white he won two competitions, two Spanish Super Cups and a Copa del Rey. As culé, a competition, a European Cup II and a Copa del Rey.

LUIS FIGO

Betrayal with capital letters. In 1995 he came to Barcelona as a TOP signing, where he won the affection of the people. Titles? 2 competitions, 2 Copas del Rey, the Spanish Super Cup, the European Cup II and the European Super Cup. But surprisingly, Florentino Pérez fulfilled his 2000 campaign promise and – even though Figo denied it some time ago – the Portuguese arrived at the White House for that galactic project. This is how he became the man most hated by the culé fans. Every time he set foot in Camp Nou, people not only insulted him but also threw objects at him. Even the head of a piglet! Titles? 2 competitions, 2 Spanish Super Cups, the Champions League, the European Super Cup and the Intercontinental Cup.

FORWARD

RONALDO

Barcelona buys a possible star from PSV. And it was. As Blaugrana, Ronaldo won a Spanish Super Cup, a Copa del Rey and a European Cup Winner’s Cup. He was also Pichichi (in total he scored 47 goals in 49 games) and even won the Ballon d’Or in 1997, the year he moved to Inter in Italy. In 2002 he won the Ballon d’Or again and after the Korea-Japan World Cup, Real Madrid signed him. There he won almost everything: a League, a Spanish Super Cup, an Intercontinental Cup and a European Super Cup. In the Spanish capital he is also getting tired of scoring goals (104 in 177 games), but lately there have been a lot of doubts about his physical condition. For that reason, another betrayal took place as he would become part of AC Milan. enemy from Inter.

JAVIER SAVIOLA

Another great goalscorer for Barcelona, ​​who eventually went to Madrid. He scored 73 goals in 172 games when Frank Rijkaard was no longer counting on him. So he emigrated to Monaco and returned to Spain to play for Sevilla. But in 2007 he would be part of Real Madrid and later return to Barcelona briefly (just a few minutes). Although neither Bernd Schuster nor Juande Ramos drafted him as a starter, the Little bunny he managed to score 5 goals in 26 games. With Barcelona he only won the Spanish Super Cup, the same trophy as with Madrid, where he also won a competition.

SAMUEL ETO’O