Late October brings with it the much-anticipated clash between Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid for the first La Liga El Clásico of the season. This iconic match is set to take place at the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys, and both teams are eager to make a significant early impact in the league.
Real Madrid slightly holds the historical head-to-head advantage in La Liga encounters, with 77 wins to Barcelona’s 74, while 35 matches have ended in draws. However, Barcelona may still be savoring their 2-1 victory in this fixture last season, a win that played a pivotal role in securing their 27th league title.
If they can replicate that success, Barcelona will leapfrog Real Madrid in the league standings, despite the fact that they are the only team in La Liga yet to suffer a defeat this season, boasting a record of seven wins and three draws.
Additionally, their recent 2-1 Champions League triumph over Shakhtar Donetsk has kept them unbeaten in all competitions, with ten wins and three draws in the bag.
Barcelona’s home form has been particularly impressive, having won all five of their La Liga fixtures at the Estadi Olympic Lluis Companys this season, with four of those victories coming with clean sheets.
Notably, their last three home wins required goals scored after the 75th minute, demonstrating their resilience and determination.
The emergence of young talents like 17-year-old Marc Guiu, who netted a remarkable goal just 23 seconds after coming on against Athletic Bilbao, has provided hope for the club amidst injury woes.
On the other side, Real Madrid comes into this fixture having lost only one competitive match this season (with 11 wins and 1 draw).
They are riding high after beating Braga 2-1 and seeing Rodrygo end his goal drought, providing a much-needed boost. With Vinícius Júnior fully recovered and in impressive form, Real Madrid appears to be firing on all cylinders ahead of this monumental showdown.
Real Madrid’s manager, Carlo Ancelotti, reassured fans that Jude Bellingham’s late withdrawal from the team was not due to a serious injury. However, even with his absence, Real Madrid managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in their last away league game.
Recent away performances against Barcelona have been promising for Real Madrid, as they have only lost one of their last six away head to head-to-head, including an emphatic 4-0 victory in the Copa del Rey semi-final second-leg last April.
As the anticipation builds for the upcoming El Clásico, players like Ferran Torres for Barcelona and Vinícius Jr for Real Madrid are expected to be the ones to watch, given their recent goal-scoring exploits in this iconic rivalry.
With goals in both halves being a common theme in the last six La Liga El Clásicos, fans can expect a thrilling, action-packed match.
The first La Liga El Clásico of the season is poised to provide football fans with a spectacle they won’t want to miss, as Barcelona and Real Madrid lock horns in their quest for supremacy in Spanish football.
Below is the Barcelona squad to face Real Madrid
Below is the Real Madrid squad to face Barcelona
