Barcelona vs Madrid left draw first time in 17 years

The nail biting between arch rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid turned streets into battlefield on Thursday.

One of the world’s most-watched soccer matches  played amid heavy security.

The match was scheduled for Oct. 26 but postponed after a wave of Catalan independence demonstrations in Barcelona.

Riot police clashed with protesters in the streets outside, plastic trash cans set on fire.

The match, drew nearly 100,000 spectators, halted briefly when a few dozen balls thrown onto the field.

Thousands of police and private security guards deployed in and around stadium as nearly 100,000 fans attended.

Some protesters fought between themselves.

While others threw objects at police lined up behind shields.

The game between  Barcelona and its fierce rival Real Madrid broadcasted to more than 650 million people worldwide.

Barcelona said on their Twitter account that 93,426 spectators watched ‘El Clasico’ at Camp Nou Stadium.

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos went down in history as the 33-year-old defender became the player with the most ‘El Clasico’ appearances at 43.

Ramos is a true Real Madrid veteran, playing for “Los Blancos” (The Whites) since 2005.

Barcelona’s Argentine superstar Lionel Messi had 42 ‘El Clasico’ appearances to equal the record of the club’s legendary midfielder, Xavi Hernandez.

Protest organizers said that over 25,000 people signed up to demonstrate near the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.

There was a festive atmosphere before the game, though some protesters briefly blocked main roads to the stadium.

The Barcelona team asked its fans to behave with civility and not to affect the match.

The U.S. Consulate in Barcelona advised people to avoid the area or exercise caution if they are nearby.

Match Tied:

Barcelona and Real Madrid played out a 0-0 draw for the first time in 17 years.

The draw left both teams even on points atop the Spanish league.

It was the first scoreless match between the fierce rivals since November 2002.