Who has the best, closest and most fiercest derbies around……(PART TWO)

The old firm derby in Scotland has to be one of the oldest, most played and fiercest around.

No disrespect but as they are basically the only two teams in Scotland, the rivalry is obviously very intense every single game of every season on and off the pitch.

This games intensity is religiously orientated, Rangers fans are usually protestants and see themselves as Scottish but British, while Celtic fans are catholic’s and have deep Irish roots.

Due to this, the rivalry has been subjected to a lot of sectarian activity with many on and off pitch battles resulting in numerous assaults, injuries and even deaths.

One of the biggest talking points was in July 1989 when former Celtic striker Maurice Johnston caused uproar in Glasgow when he moved from Nantes to Rangers.

The move was financially motivated and upset both sets of fans as only days before signing for Rangers, Johnston was at press conference in Celtic saying they were the only club he would play for.

On the pitch Rangers are a little more successful domestically winning 52 titles to Celtics 40. However Celtic can boast they won the European Cup in 1967 where as Rangers has only won the cup winners cup in 1972.

Another old and real intense derby in Europe is that of Istanbul clubs Fenerbahce and Galatasaray.

They are the most popular and successful clubs in Turkey and this rivalry has been going on for about a century.

With both clubs having a large fan base many derbies are marred with intense fighting. They originate from different sides of the Bosphorus, with Fenerbahce located on the Asian side of Istanbul and Galatasaray located on the European side.

Domestically Fenerbahce have the better head to head record, but it couldn’t be any closer for trophies as they both have claimed 17 league titles to date.

In the cups Galatasaray are way the more successful, they also are the only Turkish team to win a European trophy beating Arsenal for the Uefa Cup in 2000 , and wining the Super Cup in that same year beating no other than Real Madrid.

One of the most talked about incidents between the two clubs was in 1996 when Galatasaray were struggling in the league, but got to the cup final against Fenerbahce who were competing for the league against Trabzonspor.

A Dean Sounders penalty gave Galatasaray a 1-0 home first leg win. In the 2nd leg Fenerbahce were leading 1-0 until Saunders scored an injury time equaliser to give Galatasaray a memorable cup victory.

Following the win Souness, who received numerous negative remarks about him from the Fenerbahce chairman in the press.

Ran onto the Fenerbahce pitch and planted a huge Galatasaray flag in the centre circle which caused mayhem in the stands, and made him forever loved in the hearts of Galatasaray fans.

In Portugal the capital city derby of Benfica v Sporting Lisbon is a massive game. Although in the last decade or so Porto have elevated themselves into Portugal’s top team, the capital city derby is still the most important game in Portugal.

It is said that the rivalry originated in the early 1900’s when 8 Benfica players switched to the Sporting side in search of better working conditions. Sporting are said to represent the wealthier society of Lisbon while Benfica represent the less favourable society.

Benfica are easily the more successful of the two sides, Sporting have closed the gap a bit over the last 10 years winning the league twice, and the cup 3 times.

But Benfica did win the league last season (the first in 5 years and only 2nd in 15). They remain way ahead of Sporting in trophy wins and the head to head records.

In Poland the most intense derby is that of Krakow city rivals Wisla v Cracovia. Although due to money Wisla are way the more successful, Cracovia’s hate for their big city rivals have made this derby the biggest and the most dangerous in the country.

Dubbed the “holy war” this game is often accompanied with armed vehicles, water cannons, riot vans, helicopters and police dogs. The rivalry dates back over 100 years now and the phrase “holy war” was first used to describe Krakow’s Jewish teams Maccabi and Jutzenka.

It is now incorporated into a song which has since been popular with both sets of fans. On the pitch Wisla are easily the more succesful winning the league 12 times, (6 in the last 10 years) Cracovia have won it 5 times but the last was in 1948.

The only derby in Germany worth mentioning is the “Revier” derby. Between the two teams from the Ruhr Area Dortmund and Schalke.

This rivalry has remained very close due to both teams similar successes. Dortmund have won 6 titles and 2 cups to Schalke’s 7 titles and 4 cups.

However the rivalry became even more competitive in 1997 when Dortmund won the Champions League against Juventus only a few days after Schalke won the Uefa cup against Inter Milan.

France has a fair few derbies, but the biggest is St Etienne v Olympique Lyon dubbed The “Derby du Rhone”.

Both sets of fans have genuine hate for each other. Only 30 miles separate these two teams so it is a real local derby.

St Etienne are the poor, working class, cool mine city fans formed in 1920, dripped in history and still trying to cling on to its glorious past (a record 10 titles joint with Marseille but none since 1981).

Lyon are the rich, merchant city fans formed in 1950, and have now won the league a record 7 times in a row from 2002-08. Due to both teams past and present sucesses, it is now a game of France’s former greatest club vs France’s most recent greatest club.

This has further stoked the rivalry in recent seasons. The derby is now the most intense and evenly matched it has been for years. Due to this the head to head is close with St Etienne winning 39 and Lyon 31.

The “Sofia Derby” or the “Eternal Derby” in Bulgaria is considered by many to be one of the biggest derbies in the Balkan region.

These two teams have massive amounts of domestic success which adds to the deep rotted rivalry. CSKA Sofia have 31 titles (3 in the last 10 years) and 19 cup wins, Levski Sofia have 26 titles (6 in the last 10 years) and 26 cup wins.

In the past CSKA fans were people from the elite of the city where as Levski where supported by people of the suburbs.

The rivalry started in the 1940’s when CSKA won the league in its first year in 1948, the next two season saw both teams contesting the Soviet Army cup with Levski winning both finals, after extra time in the replay as the previous two finals had finished as draws.

Over the years this game has become a hot bed for hooliganism and clashes off and on the pitch.

In June 1995 during the Bulgarian cup final, due to many debatable referee decisions, both teams engaged in regular on pitch fist fights.

Two days later a committee reviewed the game and issued both teams to be disbanded, given 6 players life bans (one was Hristo Stoichkov), and many other staff members 3 month to 1 year bans. But a year later the decision was abolished! In the head to head CSKA have 51 wins to Levski’s 77.

Romania’s biggest derby is Dinamo Bucharest v Steaua Bucharest. Also called the “Eternal derby” and also considered to be one of the biggest although not exactly in the Bulkan region.

Both clubs have great success winning nearly 50% of all Romanian league titles. But Steaua are the more successful. In the communist period Steaua had support from the Ministry of Defence while Dinamo was supported by the Ministry of Police.

The game was affectively the Army v the Police. Steaua are the more recognised, winning the countries only European trophies, European and Super cup in 1986.

Though Steaua have won more leagues (23 to Dinamo’s 18) the last was 2006. Dinamo won the league last n 2007 their 4th in the last 10 years.

Steaua have won the cup 20 times to Dinamo’s 10 but Steaua’s last cup win was in 1999 where as Dinamo have won the cup 4 times in the last decade the last coming in 2005. Both teams recent form has become evident in the head to head showdown, Dinamo have 53 victories to Steaua’s 48.

In Russia, the big derby is Spartak Moscow V CSKA Moscow. They both had reasonable success in the Soviet Union league with Spartak doing better, but the rivalry become more intense when the Russian league formed in 1992.

Spartak dominated the early days and have won 9 out of the 19 Russian league titles (last was in 2001). CSKA have won only 3 all in the last decade (2003, 2005, 2006) Spartak also have 4 Russian cups (none since 2003) CSKA have 3 (2002, 2006, 2009) CSKA also have won the Uefa Cup in 2005 and Super Cup in 2004.

In Moscow even though teams like Zenit St Petersburg and Rubin Kazan have gained success in the Russian league, the talk is while Spartak was the past CSKA is the future. And this is the main reason why the rivalry is as intense as ever.

The Belgrade Derby in Serbia between Red Star Belgrade and Partizan Belgrade have been particularly fiesty affairs throughout the years.

It is more notable for the intense clashes of fans as well as the football teams. Both were fierce rivals in the Yugoslavian League which disbanded in 2003.

They are the only 2 winners of the new Serbian League since 2004. Both clubs were formed in 1945, Red Star in March by a civil anti fascist group, Partizan in October by the Yugoslavian army.

Both have been very successful, Red Star with a record 25 to Partizan’s 22 league titles (Partizan have won the Serbian League the last 3 out of its 4 years).

Red Star however are the only club to win a European trophy, winning the European cup and the Intercontinental Cup in 1991. In the head to head, although Partizan have been doing well lately Red Star’s early year supremacy is reflected as they have 73 wins to Partizan’s 49.

Part One

Part three