Following a successful tour of New Zealand in January and February, where he played a pivotal role, Rohit Sharma, the vice-captain of the Indian cricket team, had to sideline himself to treat a calf injury from the T20i series. Upon his recovery, he traveled to Spain with his family, visiting cultural hotspots like Palacio Real, Plaza Mayor, and Chocolate San Gines. His trip coincided with a major La Liga clash on March 2, 2020, where he was hosted by Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium. Amidst a crowd of 10,000 fans, Rohit experienced the intensity of the game from the stands.
Real Madrid clinched the match with a 2-0 win over Barcelona, finding the net twice in the closing stages of the game. On March 3, 2020, Emilio Butragueno Santos, the Director of Institutional Relations, presented Rohit with a custom 'RO 45' jersey. This gesture highlights Rohit's role as an Indian ambassador for the club. The interaction was captured on Real Madrid's Instagram, where the director posted, “It was great to have @RohitSharma45 at the Bernabeu.” Rohit responded with, “HalaMadrid what a win the other night and thank you for the experience,” and later shared the photo with a caption thanking the club for their warm hospitality.
The match on Monday, March 2, saw a stubborn defense from Barcelona, who nearly managed to keep Real Madrid scoreless. However, the deadlock was broken by Vinícius Júnior, following a brilliant sequence of team play. The move was initiated by Karim Benzema, with the ball cycling between him and Júnior. Finally, Toni Kroos spotted Júnior in a prime position, allowing him to strike a volley for the first goal in the 70th minute.
In the dying moments of the game, at the 91:37 mark, Mariano Díaz scored a second goal from a corner kick, catching Barcelona off guard and cementing Real Madrid's position at the top of the La Liga standings. Following the match, the Indian cricketer took to Twitter to express his excitement, noting that it was a privilege to meet football legends at the El Clásico celebration party.