Barcelona vs Real Madrid – News and Probable Lineups

Real Madrid Femenino will travel to Camp Nou for Thursday’s second leg of the Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Barcelona Women.

This encounter marks the third consecutive clash between these teams, following Barcelona’s convincing wins in last week’s initial leg and the league match on Sunday.

Match overview

Barcelona comfortably navigated the opening league stage, achieving five victories and one draw in their six fixtures to secure the top position ahead of Lyon due to a more favorable goal difference.

Having secured direct advancement to the quarter-finals, Barcelona faced off against their fierce rivals Real Madrid in the UWCL for the first time since a stunning 8-3 triumph at the same stage in the 2021-22 season.

The Blaugrana appear poised to surpass that aggregate after a commanding 6-2 win at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, driven by a brace from Ewa Pajor and contributions from Esmee Brugts, Irene Paredes, Vicky Lopez, and Alexia Putellas.

Unwilling to settle for just one dominant outing against their rivals, Barcelona followed it up with another impressive display, securing a 3-0 away win against Las Blancas in Liga F on Sunday.

An own goal from Maelle Lakrar, a strike from Alexia Putellas, and a deflected effort from Ona Batlle propelled the Blaugrana to their 15th consecutive league victory, positioning them 13 points clear and potentially just one match shy of securing the title.

Before shifting focus to Sunday’s matchup with Badalona, Pere Romeu’s squad aims to complete the task in the second leg of their UWCL battle against Real Madrid in front of over 50,000 supporters at Camp Nou, looking to achieve their sixth Clasico triumph of the season.

In contrast, Real Madrid had to navigate a playoff knockout tie to secure their place in the quarter-finals, finishing seventh in the league phase with 11 points from six games.

Pau Quesada’s squad narrowly overcame Paris FC with a 3-2 win in the away leg of their playoff encounter, followed by a 2-0 victory in Madrid, setting the stage for a challenging quarter-final showdown against their fierce adversaries.

Regrettably for Las Blancas, a brace from Linda Caicedo was insufficient to prevent a heavy defeat in the first leg, leaving them on the brink of elimination ahead of their first visit to Camp Nou since a 5-2 loss in the UWCL quarter-final.

The 3-0 defeat on Sunday further underscored the disparity in quality between the two teams, making Real Madrid’s last Clasico triumph in March 2025 feel like a distant memory.

Nevertheless, Las Blancas will approach Thursday’s second leg with confidence, having secured five consecutive away victories across all competitions, with Real Madrid finding the net at least three times in four of those wins.

In the UWCL, Real Madrid has recorded two wins, one draw, and one loss in their four away assignments this season.

Team News

Barcelona defender Laia Aleixandri will miss the remainder of the season following a significant knee injury sustained during the Copa de la Reina fixture against Real Madrid in February.

Three-time Ballon d’Or winner Aitana Bonmati is also sidelined as she continues her recovery from a broken leg.

Following some adjustments over the weekend, Romeu is expected to reinstate Vicky Lopez, Claudia Pina, and Ewa Pajor in Thursday’s second leg lineup.

On the visitors’ side, midfielder Teresa Abelleira and forward Signa Bruun will be unavailable for selection.

Sara Holmgaard is anticipated to return to the squad after serving a one-match suspension in Liga F due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Caroline Weir and Naomie Feller could also be reintroduced into the team after being on the bench for Sunday’s defeat.

Barcelona Women probable starting XI:

Coll; Batlle, Paredes, Camara, Brugts; Serrajordi, Guijarro, Putellas; Lopez, Pina, Pajor

Real Madrid Femenino probable starting XI:

Misa; Navarro, Mendez, Lakrar, Holmgaard; Toletti, Angeldal; Del Castillo, Weir, Caicedo; Traps

Despite holding a four-goal advantage from the first leg, Barcelona will maintain their intensity in Thursday’s return fixture, particularly as they seek to make a statement during their first match at Camp Nou since the stadium’s renovations.