Football was the winner in Clasico, says ex-Real star

Dubai - We saw one of the best Clasicos in a lot of years, former Real Madrid player Fernando Sanz said in Dubai

There are far and few between sporting contests or iconic rivalries that simultaneously unite as well divide like the 'El Clasico.'
The second instalment of the famed encounter was played out at the caulderon that is the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday night with the La Liga on the line. And quite fittingly, it lived up to its billing as one of the 'greatest spectacles on earth' with oodles of quality pouring in from both the bitter rivals - Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.
The 81,044 blue seats in the Spanish capital were filled up with 'Madridistas' and Catalans, who screamed themselves hoarse and there was an estimated 650 million viewers from across the globe, who tuned in to watch this breathtaking match-up. And while there have been better 'El Clasicos' in the past, the latest episode was not short of drama. And at the end of it all, the magical Lionel Messi had the last word, him holding his jersey, being the iconic moment.
And former Real Madrid centre back Fernando Sanz felt it was one of the best Clasicos ever seen in recent years with a contest that ebbed and flowed.
"We saw one of the best Clasicos in a lot of years," Sanz said in Dubai on Tuesday morning.
"It was like a basketball match because every moment it was a chance for (Real Madrid), a chance for (FC) Barcelona, five minutes to Madrid, five minutes to Barcelona. But, at the end of the day, for the fans, for the spectators, it was an amazing match. It was amazing because no matter if you were a Real Madrid or FC Barcelona fan, football was the winner. This was a match that was followed by 600 million worldwide and at the end of the day, the winner was the La Liga," the 43-year-old added.
Sanz, who is the General Director of La Liga in the Mena region, was also pleased with the might of Spanish football, which continues to leave its footprint in Europe's elite competitions - the Uefa Champions League and the Uefa Europa League.
The Spanish capital will be witness to the Madrid Derby with Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid crossing swords in the semifinal of the Champions League. Meanwhile, Celta Vigo will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Sevilla, the most successful club in the Europa League with five titles, when they take on Manchester United in the semifinal of the second tier of the European competition.
"It will be another exhibition of Spanish football in the semifinals of the Champions League, two teams from the La Liga, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. For sure, one will be in the final but for us in the La Liga, it is amazing," he said.
"And not just in the Champions League, also in the Europa League. Although this time it is not Valencia, it is not Sevilla, it is another team from the La Liga Celta Vigo. Everybody was talking about Madrid and Barcelona but now everyone has started speaking about Atletico Madrid. But we have another Spanish team in the Europa League and that is Celta Vigo.  That shows the level of the La Liga and of the teams in the La Liga is on the top," added Sanz.