And the Mail has the Fifty Greatest Club RivalriesThe Top 10
By Matt Fortune
Last updated at 4:40 PM on 16th October 2009
WHAT IS THE GREATEST RIVALRY IN CLUB FOOTBALL? This week's LIST on Sportsmail Online runs down the top 50 rivalries in club football across the globe. The usual suspects should dominate the top 10, surely, but do you agree with the selections of our team? TELL US WHAT YOU THINK From Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester and London. Rome to Rio and Buenos Aires.
Most cities have football clubs where derby day is the main event in the calendar for fans, publicans, pundits and police.
But some of the greatest football rivalries make no sense geographically.
Supporters of teams across the world look forward to travelling miles and miles just to earn the bragging rights for another season.
So, whatever the background to the biggest grudge matches, Sportsmail's team of experts have put their heads together to come up with the 50 greatest clashes that really get the blood boiling.
www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/football/article-1213170/THE-LIST-The-greatest-rivalries-club-football-Nos-50-41.html10 Palmeiras v Corinthians
The story of Brazil’s greatest football rivalry begins with a group of Europeans who would later become known as the ‘betrayers’. The rebel members split from Corinthians to create a sports club for Italians, known as Palestra Italia, and later just simply Palestra (Palmeiras). As the years passed honours and fans were split between the two great football clubs. True to Brazilian culture, the fixture is awash with colour and sound.
VIDEO: Watch it all kick off after an a rather un-Brazilian tackle in the Palmeiras-Corinthians derby...
9 Olympiakos v PanathinaikosBilled as a clash between the 'eternal enemies’ of Greek Football, passions run high on and off the field in Athens. History favours Olympiakos, the traditionally working-class club, with 12 of the last 13 domestic titles. In an echo of other European leagues, political forces are present in the club’s respective corridors of power, which simply adds to the tension in the city.
Welcome: Panathinaikos players try to dodge missiles thrown from the Olympiakos end
8 Roma v LazioIt is perhaps surprising that such a devilish rivalry can exist in a city shared with God’s top man. Yet when Rome's best sides lock horns, all hell breaks loose. Politics and proximity have equal claim to be the source of the hate, but historically it is the decision of Lazio not to merge with three other clubs from the capital, and so creating AS Roma, that began the rift.
VIDEO: See a West Ham legend goad fans in the Rome derby
7 Liverpool v Manchester UnitedA struggle for the Best of British title has kept these two adversaries in battle for over a half a century. United’s dominance of the Premier League era has hauled them level with the Merseysiders on 18 domestic titles while Liverpool trump their rivals on the Continent with five European Cups to three. Culturally, too, an industrial rivalry exists between the two beacons of England's north-west.
Lancashire hot pot: Wayne Rooney gets a kick from Javier Mascherano at Old Trafford
6 Ajax v FeyenoordThey say opposites attract. Holland’s most successful clubs certainly don’t think so. On one side, the cultural, historical and liberal socialist capital of Amsterdam with a club famed for championing 'the beautiful game’. On the other is Rotterdam, a rugged, industrial city, which was the birthplace of Pim Fortuyn’s anti-immigration party, and home to Feyenoord. As a result violent fan clashes have long marred occasions when the two sides meet.
Mustard gas: Fans make it a colourful clash between Ajax and Feyenoord in Amsterdam in February
5 Barcelona v Real Madrid
You traitor: Barcelona fans throw a pig's head on to the pitch for Figo's return to the Nou Camp with Real
‘El Classico’ never fails to live up to its name. Throughout the years the fixture has brought together the planets finest footballers – Maradona, Zidane, Ronaldinho, Romario, Cruyff – in two of the world’s most formidable stadiums. Politically, too, it pits the capital of Spain against the capital of Catalonia, a fiercely independent region in the north-west of the country. Crossing the divide is hardly recommended, as Luis Figo found out. After a world record move from the Nou Camp to the Bernabeu fans threw a pig's head at him.
Fiery reception: A poster of Figo is set alight
Serbs you right: Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic (centre) gets stuck into Partizan Belgrade during his time with Red Star
4 Partizan Belgrade v Red Star BelgradeOut of the ashes of the Second World War, two teams were created in Belgrade. FK Partizan became the central club of the Yugoslav Army and Red Star were the civil adversary. Both can lay claim to being the supreme team in the country – it has largely been a duopoly since their inception – although Red Star’s European Cup title in 1991 sets them apart. However in a country were the game is rife with corruption allegations, this once great on-field battle has left its better days in the past.
3 Celtic v Rangers
The religious undercurrent to the Old Firm derby makes it unlike in any other fixture in the world. Away from the obvious antipathy that exists between two dominant clubs in the same city, there is a long and passionate rivalry that goes beyond the confines of the stadium. Celtic are the Catholic club with routes entrenched in Ireland while the Protestant faction of the city are linked strongly with Rangers. Between them they dominate Scottish football in a way that has led for calls for them to join the English Premier League.
Scottish grit: Rangers striker Kris Boyd shows little sympathy as Celtic's Darren O'Dea takes a tumble
2 Fenerbahce v Galatasaray
Sparks are bound to fly when football clubs are added to a city separated by a mass of water, especially when the city straddles Europe and Asia. Istanbul’s dominant sides were founded two years apart and a social rift soon added spice to the rift already created by geography. Gala were seen by many as a club for the aristocracy with Fener the ‘people’s club’.
Turkish delights: Fenerbahce's Ugur Boral (right) tries to hold off Umit Karan Sabri Sarioglu of Galatasaray
Boca Juniors' Cristian Chavez (left) vies River's Oscar Ahumada at a colourful La Bombonera (below)
1 Boca Juniors v River PlateSpain has ‘El Classico’, Argentina has ‘il Superclasico’. And what an occasion it is. Like many other fiercely contested same-city fixtures, social resentment is as much the catalyst as proximity. From humble beginnings in the La Boca neighbourhood, River detracted to the aristocratic suburb of Nunez, earning the nickname ‘Los Millonarios’. Juniors, meanwhile, remained in the poor suburb. The entire country is gripped for days in the lead up to match day and the game kicks-off so too do 90 minutes of ear-bursting and nerve-jangling atmosphere. The fixture was recently listed as one of the 50 sporting events to attend before you die.
50-41
50 Anderlecht v Club Brugge
Belgium, famous for beer, chocolate and not much else, often gets the reputation for being a rather boring country. But sparks can fly when Anderlecht and Club Brugge go at it.
49 Blackburn v Burnley
Only a few miles seperate the East Lancashire rivals and the pair can look forward to their first league meetings since the 2000/01 season now the Burnley are back among the big boys. The fixture is one of the oldest competitive derby matches in the game with Blackburn winning their first competitive encounter - in 1888 - 7-1.
Big test: Burnley boss Owen Coyle has taken his side to the top flight - but would the fans swap survival for two Premier League wins over rivals Blackburn?
48 Colo Colo v Universidad de Chile Legend has it, the animosity which exists between the two Santiago clubs takes its roots from a league clash between the sides in May 1940. The Caciques won 1-0 but Colo Colo's Alfonso Dominguez landed a punch on Jose Balbuena in retaliation for a particularly nasty foul by the Universidad de Chile player.
47 Marseille v Paris St Germain
It may be more than 400 miles from the Paris to Marseille but there is no love lost between the Ligue 1 giants. There has always been an aversion towards the capital from the south of the country and this was intensified in a football sense when PSG won the first title after several years of Marseille dominance in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Hotly contested: A 2002 cup tie between Marseille and PSG was a fiery affair
46 Aris Saloniki v PAOK Saloniki
The sides ply their trade in Thessaloniki - Greece's second city. Both are steeped in history and, more importantly, both claim to be the most successful Greek side outwith the capital Athens.
45 Newcastle v Sunderland
The distance between the cities is only 10 miles but the gap widened considerably when Newcastle were relegated to the Championship at the end of last season. Sunderland fans took great delight in the demise of their nearest neighbours with 'Lets all laugh at Newcastle' banners out in force as the campaign reached its conclusion.
Rubbing it in: Sunderland fans see the funny side of the Toon turmoil
44 Barcelona v Espanyol
While Real Madrid is the first name the Barca fans look for when the fixture list is published, Espanyol supporters regard the current Spanish champions as the team they want to beat more than any other. The city clash has become less political since Espanyol translated their official name and anthem from Spanish to Catalan.
High hopes: Zlatan Ibrahimovic was a summer arrival at Barcelona
43 Rosario Central v Newell's Old Boys
Dating back to 1905, the Roasario derby is behind the Superclasico - Boca Juniors v River Plate - and the Avellaneda - Independiete v Racing - in the Argentinian pecking order but the fixture is still one of the most fiercely contested in South America.
42 Barcelona SC v EmelecThe two biggest teams from Ecuador's largest city and main port, Guayaquil, are the sides who almost always fight it out for the league championship. The title often rests on the result of this derby - known as the the battle of the shipyard. Emelec was founded by George Capwell who was one of the owners of a large power plant in the city. Therefore in the early days Emelec was seen as the rich team.
41 Rapid Bucharest v Steaua Bucharest
Rapid are very much the poor neighbours in the Romanian capital, a smaller club, with a smaller stadium, they have won three league titles to Steaua's 22. Steaua fans regard their opposite numbers as tigani (gypsies) and clashes between the two sides have never escaped these racial undertones.
40 Sheffield United v Sheffield Wednesday
The Steel City derby suffered for many years due to the clubs playing in different leagues but, if anything, that has intensified the rivalry between the two sides.
United fans can laud the 7-3 victory at Bramall Lane in 1951, Owls have the 1991 FA Cup semi-final victory to brag about.
Showing some steel: Sheffield United's Nick Montgomery (left) tussles with Owls James O'Connor (centre) and Jermaine Johnson while Arturo Lupoli finds himself grounded during Wednesday's 2-1 win at Bramall Lane last season
39 CSKA Sofia v Levski SofiaThe animosity in this derby has its roots in the region's communist past - Levski is named after Bulgarian national hero Vasil Levski whereas CSKA was founded as the Central Sport Klub of the Bulgarian Army.
Levski was ruled by the Ministries of Information and Industry.
No holding back: Hristo Yanev (left) from CSKA and Levski's Martin Stankov get stuck in during a 2004 clash between the Bulgarian rivals
38 Hapoel Haifa v Maccabi HaifaThis rivalry came into its own after Maccabi left the footballing wilderness to become a dominant force in the Israeli league in the 1980s.
The two clubs share the Kiryat Eliezer Stadium and really fell out when Hapoel had the audacity to go and win the league in 1999.
37 1860 Munich v Bayern MunichIn a story that is replicated all around the globe, this rivalry was born out of class struggle.
Bayern was traditionally the club of the rich while 1860 was more of the working class.
There's something odd about teams sharing stadiums but these two manage it, the enormous Allianz Arena.
Get a grip: 1860's Benjamin Schwarz (right) and Bayern's Franck Ribery last year
36 Sparta Prague v Slavia PragueThese two Czech sides have never been the best of friends and relations have remained tricky since the very first meeting.
It happened in 1896 when a 1-0 victory for Sparta was overturned after the referee deemed that the goal should be disallowed AFTER the game had finished.
35 Lyon v Saint EtienneThere's all the usual ingredients to make this rivalry tasty.
Lyon is historically a rich merchant city and St Etienne a poor, working class, coal mine community.
But the fact that Lyon are very much in the ascendancy - they won seven Ligue 1 titles in a row before Bordeaux bucked the trend last season - and St Etienne's triumphs are in the past, lends this encounter a certain Liverpool/Manchester United air.
Going down: Lyon playmaker Juninho slides into Blaise Matuidi last season
34 Atletico Madrid v Real MadridAtletico have lived in the shadow of Real for almost the entirety of their existence.
Their unofficial nickname is El Pupas (The luckless wonders) and the team's official anthem is titled 'Que manera de sufrir' ('What a way to suffer').
Living in the shadow of the behemoth of Los Blancos would be tough for most teams to cope with.
Two good: Real's Gabriel Heinze (left) and Fernando Gago gang up on Kun Aguerro
33 AEK Athens v PanathinaikosThese two sides from the Greek capital have well-documented rivalries with other teams but do not underestimate how intense this derby can become.
The pair have a history of success in the Greek league but it is Panithinaikos who have had the most recent success.
Clouded judgement: AEK supporters throw objects Panathinaikos fans in 2006
32 America v ChivasThe Goats (Chivas) and the Eagles (America) fight each other in El Super Clasico or 'Clasico de Clasicos' (derby of all derbies) in Mexico.
Chivas reckon they have the best Mexican players, America the best foreign stars and they have never seen eye to eye.
In terms of atmosphere, this match, when played at the Azteca Stadium, is as good as any you will experience.
WATCH THE VIDEO TO SEE JUST HOW TASTY THIS ONE CAN GET
31 Cardiff v Swansea
What sets this derby out from the rest? Is it Swansea's inferiority complex at being Wales' second city?
Or was it the Swans 5-0 drubbing of Cardiff in 1965?
A rivalry that has been tainted by violence, leading to away fans being banned from the fixture for many years.
30 Al Ahly v ZamalekNot only the biggest game in Egypt, this Cairo derby pits Africa’s most successful clubs together.
Tensions and trouble run so high that the fixture is always played at the neutral Cairo International Stadium and foreign referees are appointed.
One British reporter described the event as ‘more like temporary, localised martial law than a football match.’
Al Ahly have bragging rights after being named the continent’s Club of the Century in 2000.
Top two: Al-Ahly's Imad Meteb (left) and Alaa Abdelghani of Zamalek in a 2007 tie
29 Penarol v Nacional MontevideoProudly proclaiming itself as the longest-running major derby outside of the British Isles, this Uruguayan Superclasico has been fought out almost 500 times.
It is as much about local pride as it a stand-off between two burgeoning trophy cabinets.
Collectively the two sides have won 66 league titles in the professional era (Penarol 36, Nacional 30), eight Copas Libertadores (five and three respectively) and six world titles (three apiece).
Watch the teams go at it... without a ball in sight. Don't let the music put you off
28 Dundee v Dundee UnitedWhen two stadiums are situated on the very same street, and even use the same car park on match days, a bitterness towards one another is bound to be created.
However, a comparison of successes hardly covers either side in glory, although United’s solitary appearance in a European final – the 1987 UEFA Cup – gives them the one-up.
Both sides: Former Scotland striker Billy Dodds had two spells with United after turning out across the road for Dundee early in his career
27 Manchester City v Manchester UnitedThe adage that people from Manchester only support City has muted the intensity of this clash, in the stands at least.
However on-field success at Old Trafford has doubtless magnified City’s loathing of their rivals.
The recent cash injection at Eastlands, though, has renewed hope that a change in fortune isn’t far away.
Manchester movers: Carlos Tevez (left) recently joined City after leaving Old Trafford while Scotland legend Denis Law also wore the colours of both
26 Schalke v Borrusia DortmundA history of momentous results – goalkeepers with last-gasp equalisers, 3-0 leads cancelled out and title-dream shattering defeats – gives this Ruhr valley showdown a real sense of competition.
Dortmund lost 16 of the first 17 meetings yet have enjoyed dominant periods of their own in the German top flight.
Schalke's biggest ire came in 1997 when their UEFA Cup triumph was overshadowed a week later by their rivals’ Champions League success.
Deafening: The steep stands at the Westphalia create a cracking atmosphere
25 Internacional v GremioThe success of their respective academies is as much cause for bitterness as the trophies the two Brazilian sides have won.
Gremio boast Ronaldinho, Anderson and Lucas, while Internacional cite the revelations of Daniel Carvalho, Rafael Sobis, and Alexandre Pato.
Historically, a 7-0 win in 1946 and 6-2 victory in the first derby at Gremio’s new Estadio Olimpico, has given Internacional the lion’s share of bragging rights.
24 Benfica v PortoWhile Benfica have rivals closer to home, namely Sporting Lisbon, it is their political and cultural differences with Porto that create Portugal’s biggest sporting rift.
The more glamorous surroundings of the capital Lisbon is in stark contrast to the perception of Oporto, a historically industrial city with a strong independent spirit.
On the field, they have between them won 23 of the last 26 League titles.
Anything goes: Porto's Jorge Fucile (left) gets the better of Benfica's Pablo Aimar
23 CSKA Moscow v Spartak MoscowHistory decides that these two boast the fiercest rivalry in the Russian capital.
CSKA (Central Sport Club of the Army) were formed first, in 1901, while Spartak sprang up some 21 years later citing themselves as an alternative to a club with strong government connections.
Head-to-head CSKA hold the upper hand although Spartak are currently second in the league, one place above their neighbours.
Summer loving: Sergei Ignashevich (red) of CSKA lost out to Welliton and Alex (right) as Spartak won 2-1 at the Luzhniki Stadium in July
22 Besiktas v FenerbahceSituated on opposing sides of the Turkish capital, and like many other big city rivalries, this particular animosity stems back to a battle between the middle class (Besiktas) and the working class (Fenerbache).
Besiktas are the current league champions but history has favoured Fenerbache.
Tough tackling: Fenerbahce's Roberto Carlos leaves Ibrahim Toraman lying
21 Ferencvaros v UjpestTraditional fanbase differences again help divide Hungary’s capital city.
The Green Eagles (Ferencvaros) have attracted a more middle and upper class support while The Purples (Ujpest) was traditionally the club of the working class.
Ujpest have the proud record of being the oldest club still in existence in Hungary after being formed in 1885, but modern history has been less kind with Ferencvaros’ ‘Double’ in 2004 the best of the most recent successes.
Take a look at crowd trouble...Hungarian style and a keeper appearing to get shot
20 Dynamo Zagreb v Hadjuk SplitAs Croatian football’s most successful sides, the meetings between Dynamo and Split are often fiercely contested.
However, the different beginnings of the two sides adds a little spice to the encounter.
In the capital city, Dynamo were a symbol of Yugoslav strength in the wake of the Second World War and were created after a merge between HASK and Gradanski.
Split (‘The Insurgents’) meanwhile, who are based on the Adriatic coast, were formed in 1911 by four students.
19 Arsenal v TottenhamLocality sparks this most bitter of London derbies, especially as Spurs see north London as their turf.
Woolwich Arsenal, as they were formally known, moved to N5 from their humble beginnings south of the river in 1913.
Barring a spell in the 1960s, the Gunners dominance has been almost total with 13 league titles to Spurs’ two.
Moving between the sides isn't a good idea - just ask Sol Campbell.
Bad blood: Spurs fans renamed Sol Campbell after he switched sides
18 Genoa v SampdoriaKnown as the Derby Della Lanterna (‘The Derby of the Lantern’, with reference to Genova’s famous lighthouse) the two sides occupy the Luigi Ferraris Stadium, so named after a former Genoa captain.
They have enjoyed a fierce rivalry ever since the latter sprung from a 1946 merger between Sampierdarenese and Andrea Doria.
Genoa have every right to feel aggrieved; they haven’t reached the summit of Italian football since the creation of their city rivals, while Sampdoria themselves have won one League title and four Italian Cups.
17 Aston Villa v BirminghamThere is no love lost in England’s second city and passions run high when these sides meet.
History belongs to Villa, and by quite some way; seven league titles, seven FA Cups, five League Cups and a European Cup, compared with one League Cup for the Blues.
Birmingham, though, still lay claim to the city considering the fact they are indeed much closer to its centre.
Cop that: Police are out in force on derby day in the second city
16 Hearts v HibernianOne of football’s oldest local derbies was first contested on Christmas day 1875.
Hearts won 1-0 and history has slightly favoured them ever since.
The pair have equally shared eight league titles but Hearts have claimed seven Scottish Cups to Hibs' two.
Much like the famous Old Firm, one side, in this case Hibs, have their origins in Ireland (Hibernian comes from the Roman road for Ireland, Hibernia), so while Hearts have adopted a protestant stance, sectarianism is prevalent in Edinburgh.
Rough and tumble: Lewis Stevenson (bottom) and Eggert Jonsson do battle
15 Everton v LiverpoolLiverpool FC was created out of the ashes of Everton who left Anfield for Goodison Park after a rent dispute in 1892.
The fact that Goodison is less than one mile from Anfield simply adds fuel to a fire that rages on the banks of the Mersey.
European and domestic success unrivalled by any other club in the country ensures the red side of Stanley Park hold the bragging rights.
Crossing the line: Robbie Fowler pretended to take cocaine after scoring against Everton, claiming the Toffees fans falsely accused him of taking drugs
14 Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates How it all began: Kaizer Motaung
As those heading for the 2010 World Cup will soon come to realise, the majority of South Africans are either Chiefs or Pirates.
Battles between the pair are awash with colour, costume and carnival noises, while aggression and animosity is a very rare footnote.
The desire for victory, though, is strong. The route cause of the rivalry, apart from locality, is the breakaway of former Pirates player, Kaizer Motaung, to form a new professional club in 1970.
He took with him a few disgruntled Pirates players and so the Chiefs were born.
Watch the video for a classic own goal at about 3mins 30sec
13 Wisla Krakow v Cracovia KrakowIt’s all in the name. When Poland’s oldest clubs meet in the country’s capital the fixture is known as the Swieta Wojna (The Holy War).
Apart from the proximity between the sides, Cracovia hold extra resentment toward their neighbours for the superior resources at Wisla’s disposal. And history backs that up.
While Wislaw have dominated the last decade Cracovia’s most recent title triumph came in 1948.
Watch this FAN-tastic video (you decide if the music goes)
12 Millwall v West HamLast month’s troubles when the Hammers met the Lions in the Carling Cup brought this most bitter of in-the-stands rivalries once again to the fore.
On-field hostilities are rarely experienced due to very differing fortunes of the two clubs – they have in fact faced each other just 10 times in the last 20 years.
But this battle started before a ball had even been kicked between them.
In 1920s London, differences arose between workers at shipping yards on opposing sides of the Thames, so spawning a rivalry that carried onto the terraces.
Back to the bad old days: Upton Park witnessed shocking scenes last month
11 AC Milan v Inter MilanThe story of these super-heavyweights of European football has very English roots, yet has come to symbolise the glamour of Italian football.
AC Milan was formed by a group of English immigrants in 1899 but, citing disapproval at a lack of international personnel, some disgruntled members broke away to form a city rival, hence the new name Internazionale.
The Madonnina Derby (so named after a gilded bronze statue of the Virgin Mary adorning the main spire of Milan Cathedral) was first contested on October 18, 2008, with AC running out 2-1 winners.
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