Why the Clasico captivates fans better than any other sporting event

Why the Clasico captivates fans better than any other sporting event

ESPN FC's Stewart Robson asserts that FC Barcelona should stick with Neymar and Luis Suarez for El Clasico.

It's hard not to be moved. Maybe that's what sets Saturday's Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona apart from most other perennial rivalries.

In addition to the seemingly endless global ranks of Merengue or Azulgrana supporters -- from fanatics to sympathizers -- most football lovers are likely to feel some connection to the game, if only because its protagonists are likely to be alumni of hugely popular clubs.

As a result, almost everyone has skin in this game. In some cases, it will present a dilemma. Do Liverpool fans lean toward Real Madrid and Rafa Benitez, the man who delivered the fifth European Cup? Or will they back Luis Suarez and Barcelona, given his more recent exploits on Merseyside?

Then there's the sheer combined star power. Not just Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but Gareth Bale, Neymar, James Rodriguez, Gerard Pique (and his girlfriend, Shakira), Sergio Ramos, Javier Mascherano.

FIFA's Ballon d'Or short list may be an imperfect gauge of quality, but it's pretty accurate as a tool for assessing who's at the nexus of star power, talent and hype. Nearly half (11) of the 23 players nominated play for one of these two clubs. Last year, six of the top 10, including the top two, played for Barca or Real Madrid.

When these two teams are good -- and they are good right now, sitting first and second in UEFA's five-year club ranking -- it's a natural blockbuster. When they're bad, it's still compelling viewing, like those Hollywood flicks with massive ensemble casts of screen icons.

These are two gigantic goldfish bowls, and around Clasico time, the scrutiny gets even more intense.

On this occasion, there are additional subplots beyond the obvious one, which is that a win for Barcelona will send them six points clear and leave them on track to defend their Liga title, while success for Real Madrid would even things up.

Then there's the issue of Catalan independence. Catalan identity has long been a part of Barcelona's history and -- everyone knows the story by now -- during Francisco Franco's 39 years of authoritarian rule, the Camp Nou was one of the few places where that identity could be expressed relatively freely. Now, however, the stakes are higher. The Catalan regional assembly voted last month to begin the process for independence and the Spanish government responded by referring them to the country's highest court.

The club itself is walking a fine line.

While officially neutral, Barcelona have allowed pro-independence flags in European competition, a decision for which they've been repeatedly fined, as UEFA bars displays of political messages in its tournaments. It's a fractious issue which is splintering not just Catalunya (the pro-independence vote passed with a slim 53 to 47 percent majority) but also Barcelona fans, most of whom aren't Catalans, given the club's reach.

All this plays out against another, non-sporting backdrop.

Barcelona's two biggest stars, Neymar and Messi, have both been targeted by Spanish tax authorities. Conspiracy theorists imagine armies of Real Madrid supporting tax inspectors. Neymar's father, who is also his agent, won't quite go that far, but he did say: "Since we arrived to Spain, we have been under attack [from the tax office] ... I don't want to use the word 'persecution,' but if the working environment here is not good, we won't be able to remain in Spain and will have to leave the country."

Then there's the age-old issue of accommodating superstars when you play with just the one ball, a dilemma familiar to coaches in most team sports. Barcelona manager Luis Enrique seems to have cracked it. Neymar, Suarez and Messi form a well-drilled, selfless, efficient front trio.

Real Madrid's Benitez, meanwhile, is struggling with his players, and not just because injuries to Karim Benzema and Bale slowed the chemistry-building process. Bale and Ronaldo rank first and second as the most expensive players in history, but fitting them into the same lineup isn't always straightforward. Bale's camp has complained in the past that he doesn't see enough of the ball, and Ronaldo seems genuinely unhappy and pained when he doesn't get it. Neither stands out defensively, and that's a problem for a manager like Benitez who craves balance. Rumors are rife that the club may need to choose one or the other come the summer transfer window, a choice dictated by the bottom line as well as by playing considerations.

Ronaldo turns 31 in February, so if you're going to cash in, the time to do it is soon. on the other hand, not everyone believes Bale can fill his shoes, commercially or in terms of ability. The Welshman, 26, has scored 77 leagues goals in his career. When he was Bale's age, Ronaldo was already at 199.

ESPN FC's Stewart Robson and Mark Donaldson discuss whether Ronaldo will finish his career with Real Madrid.

As for the game itself, the biggest uncertainty -- perhaps a fair reflection of these globalized globetrotting fixture-packed times -- lies in the potential absentees. Sergio Ramos shot his injured shoulder up with painkillers to play in Madrid's last league games and aggravated the injury when he landed on it after scoring a spectacular overhead kick for the opener. Benzema hasn't played since October 8, though he's back in training. For Barcelona, Ivan Rakitic suffered a calf injury in early November, and while he's back in training, he wasn't due back until next month.

And there's the big one: Messi. He's been sidelined with injury since late September and, in his absence, Neymar and Suarez -- the complementary superstars -- have taken on the scoring burden. Going back to the moment the little Argentine limped off against Las Palmas, the pair have scored 19 of Barcelona's 22 goals.

You expect everyone to grit their teeth and pull through. This is not the game for which you call in sick. Yet as much as everyone will want to play, Benitez and Enrique will have tough calls to make -- the last thing you need is a star reinjuring himself.

Particularly in times as uncertain and troubled as these, humanity looks for common ground. No single game offers it as much as the Clasico. Every time these two clubs meet, there are three tribes: Barcelona, Real Madrid and those who simply are drawn to the superstars, the narrative, or the kinship with one or more of the participants. No sporting event does a better job of captivating neutrals and giving them a stake in the outcome.

That's why so many will be tuning in. And, odds are, so will you.

Gabriele Marcotti is a columnist for ESPN FC, The Times and Corriere dello Sport. Follow him on Twitter @Marcotti.