Barcelona could win the title against Real Madrid. But what are the most damaging rival defeats?

The Athletic has dwell protection of Barcelona vs. Real Madrid.

In their lengthy and storied historical past, Barcelona have achieved most of what is feasible in membership soccer. But as we speak provides them an attractive and historic first.

Hansi Flick’s crew will probably be topped La Liga champions at the Camp Nou in the event that they keep away from defeat against Real Madrid in El Clasico. It can be the first time of their historical past that the Catalan membership have clinched the title in a contest against their greatest adversary.

With that uncomfortable thought in thoughts — for Madridistas, anyway — TheAthletic recollects a few of the most consequential defeats inflicted by one rival on one other. The listing under is much from complete, so please tell us in the feedback if you happen to assume there are any painful losses we’ve got missed out.

Boca Juniors lose historic Copa Libertadores last to River Plate

It is known as the Superclasico for a cause; a derby with an depth thought to be amongst the fiercest in the world.

In 2018, the Argentine rivals Boca Juniors and River Plate met in the Copa Libertadores last, South America’s equal of the Champions League. It stays the first and solely time the finalists have been from the identical nation, aside from Brazil.

That 12 months, the second leg of the tie in Buenos Aires was postponed when River followers attacked Boca’s bus on its solution to the stadium. Boca gamers suffered cuts from damaged glass and have been caught in the tear gasoline utilized by police to sort out the crowds.

Another try at enjoying it needed to be halted, and in the finish, South America’s governing soccer physique CONMEBOL determined to stage the recreation elsewhere — greater than 6,240 miles away in Madrid.

Things did not get significantly better for Boca’s gamers and followers there. River received the recreation at the Bernabeu 3-1 to safe a 5-3 mixture win and the trophy. The solely small comfort? The location meant solely 4,000 followers from every membership made the costly journey, thus sparing many extra Boca supporters the ignominy of watching their membership’s most painful defeat in individual.

Atletico Madrid’s Champions League agony… twice

Few followers know the ache of falling brief in finals like Atletico Madrid.

Diego Simeone’s facet nonetheless craves their first Champions League crown, having twice been dropping finalists in 2014 and 2016. Defeats damage, positive. But the actual ache? On each events, they have been crushed by Real Madrid.

And not simply crushed. In 2014, Atletico have been successful as the recreation entered stoppage time, just for Sergio Ramos to go in a 93rd-minute equalizer, and from there Atletico have been deflated. Real Madrid had the momentum, successful 4-1 in additional time.

In 2016, it was simply as dying. Ramos — once more — scored for Real Madrid, regardless of being offside, after which Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty earlier than they leveled by way of Yannick Carrasco with simply over 10 minutes to go. Real Madrid, although, prevailed on penalties, with Cristiano Ronaldo scoring the decisive one.

Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates scoring the successful penalty (Clive Mason/Getty Images)

They have been knocked out twice extra by their metropolis rivals since then: in the semi-finals in 2017 and the spherical of 16 in 2025.

Atletico followers can not less than cling onto the reminiscence of the 2013 Copa del Rey last, after they lifted the trophy by beating Real 2-1, the first time they’d received against Los Blancos in almost 14 years.

Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles inflict distress on Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur followers have had sufficient distress this season, so they might need to look away now.

It will not assist their current morale to dwell on April 25, 2004, when Arsenal final received the Premier League title — at Spurs’ former White Hart Lane floor following a 2-2 draw.

Needing solely some extent, Arsenal raced right into a two-goal lead by way of Patrick Vieira and Robert Pires, just for Jamie Redknapp to drag a purpose again in the second half. Robbie Keane then scored late to lift hopes that the ignominy could be averted. Arsenal prevailed and celebrated with gusto.

It was scant comfort that Wenger’s champions misplaced to no one in the league that season.

Arsenal gamers have fun successful the 2004 title at White Hart Lane (Odd Andersen/AFP through Getty Images)

Manchester’s new kings step ahead

Anyone for an influence shift? How about when Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City tore by way of defending champions Manchester United to win 6-1 at Old Trafford in October 2011, scoring freely and laying down a marker for what can be their first Premier League title in 2011.

The stats piled up cruelly on United. It was their worst dwelling defeat since February 1955, the greatest derby win for City and proof the membership Sir Alex Ferguson as soon as dubbed the “noisy neighbors” have been a drive to be reckoned with.

The iconic celebration of one in all City’s goalscorers that day, Mario Balotelli, was memorable. Fresh from making headlines for unintentionally damaging his home with fireworks, the Italy striker scored twice and pulled his jersey over his head to disclose a T-shirt with ‘Why Always Me?’ emblazoned on it.

The 2011 Manchester derby at Old Trafford signaled a altering of the energy dynamic in the metropolis (Andrew Yates/AFP through Getty Images)

City’s six objectives that October day proved important later in the season, when City pipped United to the Premier League crown on purpose distinction after that “Aguerooooooooo” moment.

“It’s the worst result in my history,” Ferguson mentioned afterwards. “The impact will come from the embarrassment of the defeat.”

Sheffield Wednesday relegated against Sheffield United

Relegation is dangerous sufficient, however maybe it does not worsen than this: a proud and once-great membership struggling the ache of dropping all the way down to the English third tier courtesy of dropping a derby match at the stadium of their rivals.

That was the grim expertise of Sheffield Wednesday followers this season. It ensured Sunday, February 22, 2026 will probably be a date Wednesday and United supporters will not overlook.

Relegation had been a certainty for Wednesday on account of an 18-point deduction imposed in the autumn by the EFL for breaches of monetary rules, following a summer time that had seen wages go unpaid and a bunch of key gamers depart.

But a 2-1 defeat at Bramall Lane meant it could go down as the earliest relegation in Football League historical past, one other painful statistic. Neutrals could solely win and be grateful it wasn’t them.

Inter fan begs ‘Make it cease’

At 6-0, it was the largest margin of victory in the historical past of the Milan derby — and for one Inter fan, all of it grew to become an excessive amount of.

During the second half of the most one-sided derby victory at the San Siro in May 2001, an Inter supporter ran onto the discipline and begged Rossoneri defender Alessandro Costacurta to have mercy.

The scoreline was not the solely oddity of that Milan derby. It was the first held on a Friday, on account of nationwide elections, and afterwards, Milan proprietor Silvio Berlusconi was magnanimous in victory.

“6-0 was too much,” he mentioned. “I feel sorry for my friend (Internazionale president Massimo) Moratti. He didn’t deserve that.”

Reflecting on it six years ago, Moratti described the anguish in the Inter dressing room afterwards. “I still remember the tears from the players,” he mentioned. “It was happening during the game, as at half-time I went down to the dressing room and some were literally sobbing. Copious tears. It’s not possible, I thought, this lot really are crying. I couldn’t believe it. They were wrecks.”

For politician Berlusconi, it was an particularly good weekend. His get together received the election, and he grew to become prime minister.

Rangers successful the 1998-99 Scottish title at Celtic Park

Rangers created historical past by successful the title at Celtic Park after a usually stormy Old Firm conflict by which they triumphed 3-0.

Even that achievement, although, was overshadowed in the rapid aftermath by pictures of referee Hugh Dallas’ head bleeding after he was hit by a missile thrown from the crowd. Dallas’ dwelling was vandalized several hours later.

Three gamers had been despatched off throughout the recreation, as Rangers took the title again from Celtic, and a person who had thrown coins onto the pitch later appeared at court with an armed escort and was given a three-month jail sentence.

Afterwards, Rangers manager Dick Advocaat tried to enjoy the achievement amid the chaos. “You could see the rivalry between the teams, but I think about the game, because I’m here for the game. We really deserved to win and over the whole season, if you see that we are 10 points ahead of Celtic, with almost the same side as last season, we did extremely well all year,” he mentioned.

“The expectation is so high if you are a manager of Celtic or Rangers, everyone expects prizes.”

Souness crops a flag at 1996 Turkish Cup last

It was one in all Turkish membership soccer’s most iconic and controversial moments.

In April 1996, Galatasaray have been celebrating a cherished Turkish Cup last overcome arch-rivals Fenerbahce when supervisor Graeme Souness jogged in direction of the heart circle holding a large flag in the membership’s purple and yellow colors.

The Scot proceeded to plant the flag into the turf of the pitch at Fenerbahce’s Sukru Saracoglu Stadium. Cue mayhem.

“Souey ran past me with the flag, and I just said to him: ‘All the best’,” former Wales and Galatasaray striker Dean Saunders, who scored the extra-time winner, advised TheAthletic final 12 months.

“I watched him do it, pondering: ‘Oh my God, this is not going to go down effectively’. And you already know what, it did not. Before you knew it, their followers have been making an attempt to recover from the fences onto the pitch.

“As if losing a cup final to their biggest rivals in their own ground so late on wasn’t bad enough, Souey’s celebrations pushed them over the edge.”