LaLiga Special: The great assist providers of El Clasico

There are players who are remembered for their goals, others for their teamwork, some for both. Here is a look at eight of the top assist providers of recent years in club football’s biggest match.

Precise build-up play is key to scoring goals. Look no further than matches like ElClasico, where fine margins can determine everything. With this in mind, here’s a list of the top assist providers in ElClasico since the 1998/99 season.

Lionel Messi

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The Argentine star has provided the most assists in ElClásico this century (9). He’s also the top scorer in ElClasico history, with 26 goals. This season, specifically, he sits top of the assist ranking of both sides, together with Toni Kroos, with eight assists so far.

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Xavi

Xavi Hernández was the definition of precision when delivering the ball to his teammates. The former Barcelona midfielder is a true legend of LaLiga, playing 40 times in ElClasico. In those games he provided six assists, proving the difference on many occasions.

Sergi Roberto

Sergi Roberto is the perfect example of a multipurpose player. His versatility has allowed him to play in ElClásico de LaLiga both as a midfielder and as a right-back. The Barça youth squad has embraced the philosophy ofLa Masíaof maintaining possession and being precise in passing to advance in attack. In ElClásico matches, Roberto sits third among the top assist providers with a total of five.

Karim Benzema

Real Madrid’s French striker, in addition to scoring goals, also knows how to link up and provide assists for teammates. Benzema ranks fourth in the assists rankings in LaLiga ElClasico fixtures in the past 23 years, providing four assists.

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Jordi Alba

The left flank is definitely an area that Barcelona will look to exploit come this weekend’s ElClasico. Left-back Jordi Alba is key to attacks from wide, and is of course among the fixture’s most prolific assist providers, with four. The Catalan has already provided four assists this season and is also key to the team’s passing game, having made 1821 passes this campaign, fourth most in the entire competition.

Roberto Carlos

Another left back, this time a legend for Real Madrid. Fans ofLos Blancosfell in love with the Brazilian thanks to his exciting and tireless roaming down the flank in the 1990s and 2000s. His power, speed and attacking ability saw him provide four assists in LaLiga ElClasico fixtures during his career, in addition to a number of goals.

Dani Alves

Another Brazilian defender, this time a right-back, who left his mark on the history of ElClásico was Dani Alves. The Barça defender managed to make four assists against Real Madrid in LaLiga Santander.

Andres Iniesta

Like Xavi, Andrés Iniesta is a veritable legend of LaLiga. Iniesta enamoured fans the world over with his style and quality and playing in 38 ElClasico fixtures during his time at Barcelona. The former Barça midfielder and World Cup winner is one of the top assist providers of Real Madrid-FC Barcelona in LaLiga Santander over the last 23 years, with a total of three assists.

Where to watch ElClasico?

Watch ElClasico live on Sunday at 00.30 am IST on Facebook Watch.