River Plate and FC Barcelona have plenty in common

With Sunday's Club World Cup Final between FC Barcelona and River Plate set to be the first official match between the two sides — who are separated by the 10,000 kilometer-wide expanse known as the Atlantic Ocean — it's worth taking a closer look at the relationship between the two clubs. Why? Because throughout history there have been eleven players who have played for both teams.

Of the eleven players listed below, Luis Cubilla, Juan Carlos Heredia and Juan Antonio Pizzi all went straight from Barça to River, while Roberto Bonano, Javier Saviola and Maxi Lápez all did the opposite, going directly from River to Barça. Saviola, moreover, is back with the team from Buenos Aires and, as he recently recognised, is about to face "one of the best teams in history."

Here's a look at the full list: