Barcelona v Real Madrid: Camp Nou clasico overshadowed by complete institutional split

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez will not travel to Barcelona for Sunday’s clasico, extending his absence from Camp Nou to a third successive season.

Real Madrid visit Barcelona for the 21:00 CET kick-off in one of the most anticipated matches in world football. The fixture will also mark Jose Mourinho’s return to Camp Nou, an event regarded as one of the season’s biggest attractions.

Away from the pitch, however, relations between the two Spanish giants remain completely broken. Sources at both clubs told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo that the institutional rift began after Real Madrid launched its strong campaign against Barcelona over the Negreira case.

As a result, the traditional working lunch between the clubs’ boards will not take place before the match. The pre-clasico meeting had been a long-established protocol between the two institutions for decades.

Perez has now missed the annual visit to Camp Nou for the third consecutive season. Last season, Real Madrid’s only representative in the directors’ box was honorary president Pirri. This year, the expected representation is limited to the club’s vice-president.

The list of notable guests for the match is still incomplete. The only confirmed attendance so far is that of global music star Tyler, The Creator.

His brand, GOLF, will feature on the front of Barcelona’s shirt during the game as part of a new marketing initiative by the Catalan club.