Liverpool v Manchester United trumps Barcelona v Real Madrid - Ferguson Man Utd v Liverpool is the biggest game in the world - Ferguson Sir Alex Ferguson believes Manchester United's fixture against Liverpool is the biggest club game in the world. The two title rivals meet at Anfield on Saturday and Ferguson believes the clash eclipses matches between Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid. "You know the difference - Barcelona's one end of the country, Madrid the other," he said. "The fans don't travel [in Spain]. "The only game that can rival United-Liverpool is Rangers-Celtic." Ferguson added: "I have always considered it to be the game of the season in English football. Source:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/ Biggest match in the world?Continue reading the main story Last season's Premier League game between Manchester United and Liverpool attracted 75,213 fans to Old Trafford. Barcelona packed in 92,965 for their game against Real Madrid in August. Celtic enjoyed an attendance of 58,748 in one of their matches against Rangers last term. "It is all to do with the history of both clubs and cities." Ferguson admits the Manchester derby may take on added significance over the course of the next few years but still favours his duels with the Merseysiders. It promises to be another explosive match, but Ferguson has urged both sets of supporters to play their part by maintaining a healthy amount of respect for each other. He said: "That [hostility] is never going to change but I think both clubs need each other. "The history both clubs have should be appreciated by both sets of fans. "That's sometimes annoying when I hear silly chants about Munich, about Hillsborough, I don't think it does either club any good at all because, without each other, there wouldn't be the English league. "If it came to a stage where fans were banned from each other's ground, it wouldn't really be the same game. We need each other in that respect. "The respect, in terms of the history of both clubs, should be adhered to and hopefully we can see that because it's a fantastic occasion." Source:http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/15308775.stm
I don't think he means in terms of attendance. It rates higher than Real Madrid-Barcelona for the intensity of the rivalry, It carries as much punch as Celtic and Rangers, and although not sectarian like Celtic and Rangers (Religion and Football don't mix), it does have one similar element. That element is Hate. They hate us, we hate them, however there is a mutual respect that comes with that, although its never admitted. We both want to knock the stuffing out of each other.
He probably means in pure football terms. The Real - Barca rivalry is probably about half football rivalry between the two clubs, with the other half being Spanish vs Catalan nationalism and the legacy of Franco, Di Stefano etc. Liverpool vs Utd is all about the football And if the proposed 96,000 expansion of OT goes ahead then it will definitely be packed out for the Liverpool vs Utd match - ground capacity is the only reason Barca vs Real gets higher attendances.
I don't think there will be any arguments about that statement on here but I suppose the supporters of other clubs would argue the point.
You are right about thats what the RM-Barca rivalry is all about, This is what I read. Back in the 1930s-40s, Spain was ruled under a dictatorship similar to Germany (Hitler) and Italy (Mussolini). This was by General Franco. Real Madrid were funded by Franco and Barcelona were the ''poor club''. However Alfredo De Stefano was a Barcelona player and Franco stole him from Barcelona and took him to Madrid. This what the rivalry stemmed from and is the reason why any player that crosses the divide is treated with contempt and called a traitor ie Luis Figo.
Fair play to Fergie but he still talks bollox. Link refers to Fergie saying LFC v MU game is bigger than Real Barca. I think he knows nothing of Spanish history. The rivalry of those two is more than just competitive it is political & cultural too. Unless you are from Barcalona or Madrid it would be hard to truely understand enough. lmao @ 'Pure Football terms' I thought Fergie meant the intensity of the rivalry. In fact nothing else could be implied. Fact is Barca v Real has its roots outside of football.
