One of the biggest fixtures on the football calendar will take place at Bernabeu on Saturday evening, with Real Madrid welcoming Barcelona for the latest instalment of El Clasico.
Barcelona have been the standout team in Spain's top flight this season, with the Catalan side currently top of the La Liga table, while Real Madrid sit second, three points behind their rivals ahead of this match-up.
Match preview
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Real Madrid have not been at their best in the early stages of the 2024-25 campaign, but they are still unbeaten in Spain's top flight this term, winning seven and drawing three of their 10 games to collect 24 points, which is enough for second.
Carlo Ancelotti's side are three points behind the leaders Barcelona, so a defeat on Saturday would have quite severe consequences, even this early in the campaign, but they can take a lot of heart from their recent meetings with Barcelona, having been victorious in each of their last four match-ups in all competitions.
Los Blancos did a league double over Barcelona last term, including a 3-2 success at Bernabeu, while they have not lost at home to the Catalan side in the league since March 2022.
Real Madrid were 2-1 winners over Celta Vigo in La Liga last weekend, while they beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday, coming from two goals behind to secure a vital three points in the competition.
There have been teething problems implementing Kylian Mbappe into the side, with Jude Bellingham's numbers in terms of goals and assists significantly down on last season, but it has still been a solid start to the campaign, and a win on Saturday would move them level on points with their bitter rivals in the table.
Real Madrid have four more matches before the final international break of the year, tackling Barcelona, Valencia and Osasuna in the league, in addition to a home Champions League clash against Italian giants AC Milan.
Los Blancos have now gone 42 games without a defeat in La Liga, with their last loss in the competition coming against Atletico Madrid in September 2023, and they are bidding to equal Barcelona's all-time unbeaten record in Spain's top flight this weekend, which occured between April 2017 and May 2018.
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There were certainly question marks when Hansi Flick was appointed Barcelona head coach, but the German has had an exceptional start to life at the club, with the Catalan giants in brilliant form in the early stages of 2024-25.
Barcelona's form is even more impressive considering their significant injury problems, with the team winning nine of their 10 league matches to collect 27 points, which has left them three points clear at the summit, while they are comfortably the leading scorers in Spain's top flight this term with 33, averaging over three goals per game.
Flick's side have been victorious in their last four matches in all competitions, including a 5-1 success over Sevilla in La Liga last weekend, while they will enter the match off the back of a statement Champions League win.
Indeed, Raphinha scored a hat trick in a 4-1 success over Bayern Munich on Wednesday night, and with players starting to return to fitness, the signs are very positive for Barcelona, who will follow El Clasico with the Catalan derby against Espanyol.
A win over Real Madrid this weekend would send out a statement, and six points at this stage of the season would be a lot considering that Flick's team have only had one bad day in Spain's top flight so far in 2024-25.
Like Real Madrid, Barcelona have another four matches before the November international break, tackling Espanyol and Real Sociedad in the league, in addition to a trip to Red Star Belgrade in the Champions League.
Team News
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Real Madrid have suffered a double injury blow ahead of this match, with Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo both ruled out for the next two to three weeks due to problems which were suffered against Bayern.
Andriy Lunin is therefore in line for a spot between the sticks, while Rodrygo's absence is expected to lead to a change of formation, with Bellingham set to feature behind a front two of Vinicius Junior and Mbappe.
Bellingham is yet to score this term, but Vinicius took his tally to eight for the season with a treble against Dortmund, while Mbappe has managed eight goals in 13 appearances.
Brahim Diaz has returned to the squad and may provide an interesting option off the bench in the second half of the contest, but David Alaba and Dani Carvajal will be absent alongside Courtois and Rodrygo.
As for Barcelona, Frenkie de Jong, Dani Olmo and Gavi are all now back to fitness after their problems this season, but the trio could continue on the bench for El Clasico.
Marc Casado has had special praise from his manager for his performances this season, and it is likely that he will continue in midfield alongside Pedri, with Fermin Lopez, who provided two assists against Bayern, operating as the number 10.
Ronald Araujo, Ferran Torres, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen are all on the sidelines through injury, but there is a chance that Eric Garcia could be back in the squad.
Robert Lewandowski has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 15 goals in 13 appearances in all competitions, including 12 goals in 10 La Liga outings, and he will continue in the final third of the field.
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Valverde, Tchouameni, Camavinga; Bellingham; Vinicius, Mbappe
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Lewandowski
We say: Real Madrid 2-2 Barcelona
There has not actually been a draw between these two sides in La Liga since December 2019, while the last stalemate at Bernabeu was back in 2011. We are finding it difficult to separate them this weekend, though, with the points potentially being shared in what should be a highly-entertaining El Clasico.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Matt Law
