Real Madrid will be aiming to stretch their lead at the top of La Liga to five points when they host Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday afternoon for another highly anticipated El Clasico clash.
Los Blancos currently hold a two-point advantage over second-placed Barcelona, with both sides having suffered one league defeat this season. As always, the stage is set for a thrilling encounter between Spain’s greatest rivals.
Real Madrid have been close to flawless this season, winning 11 of their 12 matches across all competitions. Their only setback came against Atletico Madrid in late September.
Under Xabi Alonso, the capital club have collected 24 points from nine league games, leading the table ahead of Barcelona. They edged past Getafe 1-0 in their last La Liga outing and followed that up with another 1-0 victory in the Champions League on Wednesday night, thanks to Jude Bellingham’s goal against Juventus.
Although Madrid have not always played at their sparkling best, they have found ways to win. They have conceded nine goals in nine league matches, but their attacking output remains strong, with 20 goals scored—just four fewer than Barcelona’s tally.
The coming weeks will be crucial for Real Madrid before the November international break. They will face Valencia at home on November 1, travel to Liverpool in the Champions League three days later, and then visit Rayo Vallecano in La Liga on November 9.
This weekend’s meeting also offers a chance for revenge. Barcelona dominated the head-to-head last season, winning all four clashes across three different competitions, including an emphatic 4-0 triumph at the Bernabeu last October.
Barcelona, meanwhile, enter the fixture on a positive note after a commanding 6-1 win over Olympiacos in midweek Champions League action. That result helped them get back on track in Europe after a rocky patch.
Before the international break, the Catalans suffered a shocking 4-1 defeat to Sevilla but recovered with a 2-1 win against Girona in La Liga last weekend, showing resilience when it mattered.
Despite their strong attacking displays, Barcelona’s defense has been inconsistent, and injuries have further complicated matters for Hansi Flick’s side. Their only other slip in La Liga came in a 1-1 draw away to Rayo Vallecano in late August.
In the coming weeks, Barcelona will face Elche and Celta Vigo in league action, with a Champions League trip to Club Brugge sandwiched in between.
Young talent Lamine Yamal will once again be expected to spark the attack for Barcelona, but with several key forwards sidelined, the teenager will need solid support from his teammates if they are to overcome Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Real Madrid could receive a timely boost ahead of Sunday’s clash, with Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal, and Dean Huijsen all in contention to return to the squad. However, Antonio Rüdiger has been ruled out due to a serious muscle injury, while David Alaba remains sidelined with a groin problem. On a positive note, Dani Ceballos may make his comeback, and Los Blancos have not reported any new fitness issues ahead of the highly anticipated encounter.
With defensive options still limited, Federico Valverde is expected to continue filling in at right-back, while Raúl Asencio should start in central defence despite being forced off late against Juventus with cramp.
Further upfield, Jude Bellingham, who opened his scoring account for the season against Juventus, will look to build on that momentum. The England star is expected to join a dynamic attack featuring Franco Mastantuono, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior.
For Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong has recovered from illness and is set to start, but there are fresh concerns elsewhere. Jules Koundé remains a major doubt after missing both Thursday and Friday’s training sessions due to a knock, while Raphinha also looks set to miss out as he continues to struggle with a hamstring problem — a significant setback for Xavi’s side.
The Catalans will definitely be without Joan García, Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Robert Lewandowski, and Dani Olmo, leaving their squad stretched. As a result, Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, and Marcus Rashford are expected to form the attacking trio supporting Ferran Torres up front.
In defence, Ronald Araújo should line up alongside Pau Cubarsí at centre-back if Koundé is not passed fit, with Eric García potentially stepping in at right-back.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Valverde, Militao, Asencio, Carreras; Guler, Tchouameni, Bellingham; Mastantuono, Mbappe, Vinicius
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Szczesny; E Garcia, Araujo, Cubarsi, Balde; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Fermin, Rashford; Ferran
EXPERT PREDICTION
Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona
