Barcelona and Real Madrid hierarchy discard pre-match etiquettes ahead of El Clasico

Barcelona and Real Madrid hierarchy discard pre-match etiquettes ahead of El Clasico The first Clasico of the season is almost upon us as Barcelona play hosts to Real Madrid at Camp Nou this weekend. It promises to be a riveting encounter between two teams that share a well-documented rivalry – a rivalry that has only intensified following Barcelona’s decision to back out of the Super League project. The animosity between Barça and Real Madrid have indeed grown tenfold in the past two years, especially with the latter trying to push the Negreira case forward to authorities. Farewell to pre-match etiquettes Florentino Perez has already made headlines by opting to skip attending this Clasico , drawing heat from former president Ramon Calderon in the process. Florentino Perez won’t attend this weekend’s Clasico. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images) Now, AS reports that the traditional pre-match pleasantries between the two boards have been reduced to the bare minimum. The lavish directors’ lunches of yesteryear, where executives from both clubs would relax and socialise, are no longer a thing. In their place will be nothing more than a brief coffee in a private room within the VIP box, a space every stadium has. A short, perfunctory chat and little else, with no warm gesture anticipated from either side. While Perez himself will be absent, Real Madrid will still be represented in the stands. A small group of their supporters will attend, and the club will send various directors and executives to the VIP box to show their backing, at least symbolically. A relationship in tatters Relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid is officially broken. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images) Relations between the two hierarchies are effectively broken, a reality laid bare by the 50,000 pages Real Madrid’s directors submitted to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, detailing various situations relating to the Negreira case. That dispute now colours every interaction between the clubs, and any lingering doubt was dispelled when the Bernabeu’s south stand referenced the affair during the recent win over RB Leipzig. And this particular clash could serve as the boiling point. Beyond the significance of any Clasico , a large chunk of the LaLiga title race is on the line, as is a symbolic edge in the Ballon d’Or showdown, with two of the frontrunners going head to head just 24 hours before the award is handed out.