Barcelona vs Real Madrid – News and Probable Lineups

Camp Nou will witness the next chapter of El Clasico this Sunday evening, as Barcelona faces off against Real Madrid once again in Spain’s premier league.

Barcelona has set the standard in La Liga this season, securing victories in all nine of their initial matches to amass 27 points, while Real Madrid stands third in the table with 21 points.

Match overview

Entering the El Clasico on Sunday, Barcelona comes off their first defeat of the season, having lost 4-2 to reigning European champions Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last Tuesday. This matchup promises to be intriguing with both teams featuring top talent.

Hansi Flick’s squad will now be looking to maintain their perfect La Liga record this season. An impressive start has seen the Catalan team win their opening nine games, placing them at the top of the table with 27 points, five points ahead of second-placed Atletico Madrid.

Barcelona recently secured a 5-2 victory against Real Betis in Seville last weekend, and a win on Sunday could extend their lead over Real Madrid to nine points, which would be significant, even at this early stage.

In their previous seven encounters across all competitions, Barcelona has triumphed in six against Real Madrid, including a 2-0 win during the last fixture in the 2025-26 season.

Barcelona has not suffered a home defeat to Real Madrid since October 2023, with their last two losses to Los Blancos occurring at the Bernabeu in Spain’s top division.

Real Madrid will arrive at this fixture following a commanding 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig in the Champions League and a 4-1 win against Sevilla in La Liga last weekend.

Los Blancos faced a disappointing defeat to Atletico Madrid prior to the September/October international break, but have since bounced back with victories over Villarreal, Roma, Sevilla, and RB Leipzig, achieving four consecutive wins across all competitions.

While it may be premature to rule out a title challenge from Real Madrid in October, Jose Mourinho’s side must avoid trailing Barcelona by nine points, as the margin for error is expected to be minimal in Spain’s top flight this season.

Before the next international break, Real Madrid has four fixtures lined up, including matches against Barcelona, Racing de Santander, and Valencia in the league, along with a European trip to AEK Athens.

This Sunday’s gathering will showcase several of the world’s elite players, including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe.

Team News

Barcelona will be unable to call upon Dani Olmo (adductor), Roony Bardghji (knee), Andreas Christensen (thigh), and Eric Garcia (thigh) for this El Clasico.

Additionally, Jules Kounde is a significant doubt due to an ankle problem; currently, it appears unlikely that the France international will take part.

Consequently, it is expected that Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart will occupy the full-back positions, while Rodri and Fermin Lopez are anticipated to return to the team following the match against PSG.

Yamal and Raphinha are likely to be guaranteed starters in the attacking third, with Anthony Gordon expected to maintain his position on the left flank.

On the other hand, Real Madrid will miss Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hip), and Raul Asencio (leg) for the Camp Nou clash, while Vinicius Junior will be serving a suspension.

Head coach Mourinho faces crucial decisions in the midfield, with the possibility of Federico Valverde being utilized at right-back. Consequently, Bernardo Silva’s display against RB Leipzig may earn him a place in the starting lineup.

Arda Guler and Yan Diomande are likely to feature on the flanks for Los Blancos, with Jude Bellingham positioned as the number 10 behind forward Mbappe.

Barcelona probable starting XI:

J Garcia; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Martin, Espart; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Gordon; Raphinha

Real Madrid probable starting XI:

Courteous; Valverde, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Tchouameni, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappe

We are predicting that Real Madrid might end Barcelona’s winning streak in La Liga this weekend, and it is expected to be an exciting and dynamic match given the quality of the attacking players on show.