Luis Figo opens up on his controversial world record £52m move to Real Madrid

Portuguese superstar Luis Figo opens up on his controversial move from Barcelona to Real Madrid just over 20 years ago ahead of the El Clasico.

Figo made a surprising transfer from the Catalan giants to their bitter rivals Real in July 2000, in what was at the time a world record transfer fee of £52million, which sparked the rivalry to become even more fierce.

His transfer to Los Blancos not only added fuel to the fire with regard to the rivalry between the clubs, but also put Real Madrid on the map once again.

The signing signalled the beginning of Los Blancos president Florentino Perez's intent by signing a player dubbed as one of the best in the world from a rival by meeting his release clause at Barca before then signing other global superstars.

'I had everything in Barcelona, but you think: It's not like I'm going to a second-rate club,' Figo told the Guardian.

'If it hadn't been Madrid, maybe I wouldn't have gone. It's a challenge, a decision based on feeling valued, convincing me I was going to be an extremely important piece. It could have been a cagada, a cock-up, but it wasn't, thank God.'

The 47-year-old won the Ballon d'Or in 2000 and became the focus of the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry.

Figo was booed every time he lined up for Real against his former side, as Barca fans made their hate toward the Portugal international clear, some fans even burning portraits of the winger in the crowd.

'These days, there's more protection. It felt like I was doing a press conference every day. That takes its toll.

'We were starting to tour, a new idea, there was the rivalry, the pressure, the price.

'The hatred too. Not everyone likes God, how is everyone going to like me?

'My only concern was if something happened physically, some madman. But go and play football? Nah! In football there's no reason to be scared.'

The former Portugal star was kept off corners when he returned to Barcelona for the first time, but the same could not be said for 12 months down the line.

Figo found out just how deep-seated that hatred was when a butchered pig's head was chucked on to the pitch while he was taking a corner for Real Madrid during the match.

The game was stopped for 16 minutes by referee Medina Cantalejo, with lighters, bottles and cans having also been aimed at Figo.

The two sides are set to meet will re-kindle that rivalry on Sunday afternoon at the Santiago Bernabeu.