Barcelona braces itself for another weekend of red-hot passion

DERBY DAYS: SPANISH BASKETBALL: Although the football part of Real Madrid is far better known throughout the world, the Real Madrid professional basketball team is far more accomplished

TWO of the most welcoming cities in the world. Unless, of course, it involves welcoming residents of the other city. It will come as no surprise to anyone that derby games between Castilians and Catalans are regarded as among the most intense in the world.

What may be news is the major battlegrounds aren't always on grass. The Real Madrid football club is not the most successful Spanish sports club - it's not even the most accomplished Madrid team. In fact, it's not even the most dominating side that uses the name Real Madrid.

The capital-based club has two sections, and though the football part is far better known throughout the world, the Real Madrid professional basketball team have claimed 30 Spanish championships (a record), 22 Copa del Rey titles (a record) and eight Euroleague championships (also a record). That phenomenal 30 domestic league victories during the last 52 years includes a 10-in-a-row.

The secret of Real Madrid's phenomenal success (both in football and basketball) has been the ability to attract stars from abroad. In basketball, this means particularly from Eastern Europe.

In a dramatic 1988-89 season, Croatian Draen Petrovic helped Real Madrid to the National Cup title over Barcelona , though their Catalonian rivals edged the season's Spanish championship by beating Real in the fifth game of the final series (though Petrovic still managed two records for a final series game - 42 points made and eight three-pointers). The shooting guard also led the club to the European Cup Winners Cup crown the same season.

Not all of Real Madrid's imports, however, have come from the east. Former players include ex-Ireland captain and current national head coach Jay Larranaga, whose father, Jim - coach of George Mason University Patriots - caused a sensation in American basketball two seasons ago by leading his team into the "Final Four" of the NCAA Championship.

Another former Real Madrid player with Irish blood is Pat Burke, who has also played at the highest level in America - lining out for the Orlando Magic and the Phoenix Suns. In between those two NBA periods, the Offaly native spent two seasons in Madrid, helping the Spanish side to the Eurocup final in 2004 (they were beaten in the decider of European basketball's second competition by Hapoel Jerusalem) and the domestic league title in 2005.

Real Madrid Baloncesto did claim the Eurocup for the first time in 2007, beating Lithuania side Lietuvos Rytas in the final, but by then Burke was already on his next mission - pushing Khimki BC to their first Russian Cup championship.

Like their footballing colleagues, Barcelona Bàsquet have spent much of their history living in the shadow of the capital-based giants. Even the inauguration of their new home Palau Blaugrana, Catalan for the place of blue and deep red - which opened to much fanfare in 1971 and can now seat up to 8,250 spectators - did not bring with it the success the club craved.

However, perhaps one of the most pivotal moments in the club's history came in the 1977-78 season when Barcelona claimed the Cop del Rey - their first silverware for several decades. Just as important was the team they defeated in the decider, Real Madrid eventually surrendering in a thrilling 103-96 final.

It was the first small step in Barcelona's desire to break Real's monopoly. The second was achieved courtesy of a major stroke of luck. In 1974, Barcelona signed Herminio Ruiz, who insisted his 15-year-old brother Juan also join him at the club.

Juan Antonio San Epifanio Ruiz would become known simply as Epi to the legions of Barcelona basketball supporters, and in 18 seasons with the club he would play a crucial role in the club claiming seven domestic league titles - Epi's first in 1980-81 being the club's first in 22 years - 10 cup crowns and even the world championship for clubs in 1985.

The only Spanish basketball player to have competed at four Olympic Games, the supremely talented small forward would also lead his club - along with other stars such as Chicho Sibilio - to the European Champions Cup final three times - though a winners' medal eluded him.

That particular feat would be left to the next generation of stars with Barcelona, who have built on the success of the 1980s and 1990s and maintained the home and abroad challenge to Real Madrid's traditional dominance.

However, there is one major difficulty for both Spanish clubs. And it arises each time one of their players shows exceptional talent - the lure of the NBA has, understandably, proven too much for many Europeans.

In 2003, FC Barcelona won all the competitions they played in - the Spanish League, National Cup and, for the first time, the Euroleague. Like so many others, Juan Carlos Navarro, or "La Bomba" as he is known, couldn't resist trying his hand in the NBA - linking up for a time with his old Barcelona team-mate Pau Gasol at Memphis - but last June the Barcelona native signed a €12 million deal with his home club that means he will once again experience the thrill of meeting a visiting Real Madrid side this weekend.

The Madrid club, of course, have already claimed eight Euroleague titles and 40 domestic league titles to Barcelona's 14, but the capital-based side's dominance belongs in the previous century. In recent years the games have been closer and the balance has swung in both directions.

Thanks to the late interventions of Eto'o and Messi last weekend in Barcelona, the home side defeated their fiercest rivals in the Spanish football league. This weekend it's the turn of both clubs' basketball teams to battle under the shadow of the Camp Nou.

Barcelona v Real Madrid

Saturday, December 20th

Palau Blaugrana, Barcelona, 8pm (local time)