Good afternoon! Thank you for joining
Sports Mole for the biggest match in world football as
Barcelona host
Real Madrid at the Camp Nou in the first Clasico of the season!
We are missing the two players who have defined this rivalry over the past decade, but there is still a huge amount of talent on show and plenty to fight for, with both sides having suffered below-par starts to the season.
There is no shortage of things to talk about in the buildup to this one, so let's waste no time and start with a look at the team news...
BARCELONA STARTING XI: Ter Stegen; Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Rafinha, Suarez, Coutinho
BARCELONA SUBS: Semedo, Dembele, Cillessen, Malcom, Munir, Vidal, Chumi
REAL MADRID STARTING XI: Courtois; Nacho, Ramos, Varane,
Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Isco
REAL MADRID SUBS: Navas, Diaz, Valverde, Vazquez, Odriozola, Asensio, Ceballos
What can we make of those two teams, then?
Well, we already knew what the headlines would be before the starting lineups were released, with today's game being the first Clasico to be played without Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo on the teamsheets since December 2007.
Ronaldo has, of course, left Madrid to join Juventus, while Messi fractured his arm against Sevilla last weekend and has been ruled out for a few weeks as a result. Messi is the all-time leading goalscorer in Clasicos, so at the risk of stating the obvious, his absence is a huge blow for the hosts today.
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Messi has only missed two previous Clasicos since making his first appearance against Real Madrid, and Barcelona have failed to win either of those games, drawing once and losing once.
By contrast, Madrid won twice against Barcelona without Ronaldo in their team during his time with the club, although this is their first taste of the Clasico since he left and signs so far this season suggest that they may struggle in his absence this afternoon.
Enough about who isn't in action today, though - how about who is on show, and there is still a plethora of world-class talent to choose from.
One such player is Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, who leads the line for the hosts once again this afternoon. The Uruguayan has struggled for goals by his usual standards so far this season, but since he joined Barcelona in 2014 no player has found the back of the net more often in this fixture, scoring six times.
It is an unchanged Barcelona team from their Champions League win over Inter Milan in midweek, which means that Rafinha keeps his place in the side having replaced Messi for the European game.
Rafinha opened the scoring against Inter and impressed Valverde enough to once again be preferred to Ousmane Dembele alongside Suarez and Philippe Coutinho in the front three. It is an impossible ask for him to fill the boots of Messi, though.
At the other end, Samuel Umtiti and Thomas Vermaelen are both sidelined to leave Clement Lenglet and Gerard Pique as Barcelona's only two centre-back options, while Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba continue on the flanks.
Arthur is once again preferred in midfield having impressed during his Barcelona career so far, while Ivan Rakitic will come up against his compatriot and fellow World Cup finalists Luka Modric in midfield.
There was some speculation that Modric might be rested for this match - a move which would have been very risky for a manager in
Julen Lopetegui's tenuous position to make but one which had been touted.
The Croatian has looked very fatigued in recent weeks which led to the suggestions he might be left out in favour of Dani Ceballos, but his inclusion means that - despite the absence of Messi and Ronaldo - the game still boasts the man crowned the world's best player for the year.
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Dani Carvajal has failed to recover from his calf injury in time for this match and so Nacho moves out to right-back, with Raphael Varane returning to the team in place of Vazquez from the midweek win over Viktoria Plzen.
That is one of two changes made by Lopetegui for this match, with the other seeing Thibaut Courtois return in goal ahead of Navas. Kroos and Casemiro continue in midfield, while Marcelo has shaken off the knock he picked up against Plzen to start.
Marcelo has scored in Madrid's last two games, and it may take goals from all over the team to make up for Ronaldo's exit this season. Sergio Ramos is another major threat from defence, having scored four headed goals against Barcelona in La Liga before today.
The bulk of the attacking threat must still come from the forward three, though, and Lopetegui keeps faith with Bale, Benzema and Isco today as Asensio is once again forced to settle for a place on the bench.
There are plenty of potential match-winners even in the absence of Ronaldo and Messi, then, and despite coming just 10 games into the league season, this could prove to be a pivotal fixture in the 2018-19 campaign.
Victory for either side could be the difference between a one-point gap or a seven-point gap, with Barcelona knowing that the latter would give them significant daylight over their fiercest rivals and further pile the pressure on under-fire manager Lopetegui.
Madrid's struggles this season have largely helped to mask what has also been a lukewarm start from Barcelona, who still have top spot in their own hands despite having their lowest points tally at this stage of a season since 2004.
A 2-0 win for Atletico Madrid over Real Sociedad yesterday saw Diego Simeone's side move top of the table, but a draw or a win today would see Barcelona leapfrog them to the summit once again.
There can be some encouragement taken from the fact that Barcelona have not been at their best for long spells this season, yet are on the verge of regaining top spot and also boast the best attack in the league with 23 goals.
It is at the other end where the problems have arisen so far this season, with Barcelona having conceded 11 goals in their opening nine games - a tally nine other teams in the division can better. Only Sevilla have a worse defensive record in the top six of the table.
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Indeed, Barca have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their last seven La Liga games stretching back to August 25, having begun the campaign with clean sheets in their first two league outings.
All 11 of Barcelona's league goals have been conceded in their past 11 games, then, and with Umtiti and Vermaelen currently injured there isn't a huge amount that Valverde can do to change that worrying figure right now.
It was that defensive record which strongly contributed to a four-game winless run in La Liga - a streak they finally ended last weekend with a 4-2 triumph over temporary league leaders Sevilla.
Barca drew with Girona, Athletic Bilbao and Valencia in that time - as well as falling to a famous defeat at the hands of Leganes - but they were repeatedly let off the hook by poor results for the teams around them in the table too. Victory today would make it back-to-back league wins for the first time since September 15.
Things do look better in all competitions, where Barcelona are now unbeaten in their last five games including a 2-0 win over Inter Milan in midweek which saw them maintain their 100% start to the group stages - even without Messi.
Even in La Liga, the recent blip should be taken in wider context, with the defeat at the hands of Leganes being one of only two they have suffered in their last 54 La Liga outings. stretching back to April 2017. Valverde's side only lost once all season on their way to the title last term, with that coming in the penultimate match of the campaign.
Barca also boast a formidable record here at the Camp Nou, with Real Madrid the last team to beat them here in any competition with their 3-1 Spanish Super Cup triumph in August of last year.
Since then Barcelona have won 31 and lost none of their 36 home games across all competitions, including five wins and two draws this season, during which time they have scored 24 goals at an average of more than three per game.
Their unbeaten streak at home in La Liga is even more impressive, stretching back 41 games and more than two years - their longest such run since a 67-match streak came to an end in February 1977.
That is the challenge which awaits Madrid today, then, and it is not one Los Blancos look in the best shape to take on given their dreadful start to the season.
Not since 2001-02 have Los Blancos made a worst start to a league campaign, picking up only 14 points from their opening nine games to leave Julen Lopetegui's job under intense scrutiny.
El Clasico does not need any extra scrutiny on it, but it was been widely suggested that defeat today - particularly a bad one - could spell the end for Lopetegui, while some reports have even suggested that he will be sacked regardless of the result here at the Camp Nou.
Lopetegui was only appointed in the summer after being sacked by Spain on the eve of the World Cup as a result of his agreement with Madrid, but his 10th La Liga match in charge may well prove to be his last if things don't go his way tonight.
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With the likes of Antonio Conte, Mauricio Pochettino and even Jose Mourinho being touted as potential successors to Lopetegui, this match could well be a make or break one for the manager - and the same could even be true of Madrid's season.
Despite making such a poor start to the campaign and now sitting ninth in the table courtesy of Getafe's win over Betis earlier today, Real are still only five points off leaders Atletico as thing stand. That is far from an unassailable gap, but should they lose this one then the seven-point deficit to Barcelona looks a lot more difficult to make up.
By contrast, victory would close the gap on Barcelona to one point and leaders Atletico to only two points, and Madrid did finally return to winning ways against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League in midweek.
A 2-1 win over a team form Czech Republic would usually be an unremarkable - perhaps even disappointing - result for Madrid, but on this occasion it was hugely important both for their Champions League hopes - having already lost to CSKA Moscow - and to get them back to winning ways after a five-game run without victory.
That five-match winless run saw Madrid not only go more than a month without a victory, but also saw them embark on their longest-ever goal drought - one which was finally ended by Marcelo against Levante last weekend - albeit in a 2-1 defeat.
Lopetegui's side have scored 13 goals in their opening nine La Liga games, which is their lowest tally at this stage since 2004-05 and only the sixth-best in the league this season - a very poor return for a club of Madrid's calibre.
Madrid have not scored more than once in a La Liga game since September 1, and they remain winless in their last four domestic outings, including three defeats to pick up just one point from the last 12 on offer.
Another defeat tonight would make it three league losses on the bounce for the first time since May 2009, when their run of five defeats in a row was also the last time they failed to win in five successive La Liga outings.
Unsurprisingly given Madrid's recent form, their away record is also poor at the moment - although that is something which has needed improving since the end of last season with Zidane and Ronaldo still at the club.
Los Blancos have now won just one of their last eight awat games in all competitions - one in seven in La Liga - and come into this match winless in their last four, including three successive defeats without scoring.
Madrid's last goal on the road came in a 1-1 draw with Athletic Bilbao on September 15, and tonight they risk losing three successive away league games for the first time since that dreadful run in May 2009.
PREDICTION: Right, we're 10 minutes away from kickoff in the Clasico, which means that it is time for a prediction!
This is one of the most intriguing meetings between these two great rivals in a long time, with both missing the talismans of the past decade and more and both also struggling to find their best form this season. Barcelona do have the edge in the formbook, though, and with home advantage also in their favour, we are leaning towards a Barca win.
SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Barcelona 3-1 Real Madrid
This will be the 239th meeting between these two sides, and Real Madrid still hold the edge overall - although it is a gap which has been closing in recent years.
Indeed, there are now only two wins in it, with Madrid winning 95 to Barcelona's 93 down the years, and 50 of the matches ending all square.
Barca have scored in each of their last 21 league games against Real Madrid - netting 48 times during that period - and just one more goal today would equal the best-ever scoring streak in Clasicos.
That record is currently held by Madrid, who netted in 22 consecutive editions of the fixture between 1959 and 1969.
Madrid could be on course for their own slice of history too, with Los Blancos aiming to go four successive away Clasicos without losing for the first time in their history.
The last three here at the Camp Nou have ended in two draws and a Madrid win, most recently in May when Gareth Bale's stunning equaliser earned a 2-2 draw after Suarez, Messi and Ronaldo had also got on the scoresheet.
The reverse saw the bragging rights go to Barcelona, though, with Valverde's side running out 3-0 winners at the Bernabeu as Madrid saw Carvajal sent off.
Right, the players are out and we're just about ready to get started here! A reminder of the team news before we do get started...
BARCELONA STARTING XI: Ter Stegen, Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, Arthur; Rafinha, Suarez, Coutinho
REAL MADRID STARTING XI: Courtois; Nacho, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Isco
KICKOFF: Here we go, then! Real Madrid get us underway at the Camp Nou!
As expected, Barcelona have seen plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges as they probe for an early breakthrough in this match. It is the hosts controlling the possession and territory early on.
Barcelona come forward and put Madrid under pressure as Coutinho floats a cross into the box, but Courtois comes out to claim it before it can reach Suarez in the middle.
Madrid are struggling to keeping hold the ball for any significant length of time at the moment, particularly inside the Barca half. They are yet to really settle here.
CHANCE! Having said that, the first shot of the match comes from the visitors as Bale bursts down the left flank and picks out Benzema in the middle. The ball is bouncing towards the Frenchman, who swings his left foot at the half-volley but blazes it over the crossbar.
Smart football from Barcelona again as they knock the ball about inside the Madrid half, slowly wearing Madrid down even at this early stage of the game. Barca have already made twice as many passes as their opponents today.
GOAL! BARCELONA 1-0 REAL MADRID (PHILIPPE COUTINHO)
GOAL! First blood in
El Clasico goes to Barcelona as they cut right through the Real Madrid defence at the end of another long passing move!
The ball is clipped over the top for Alba racing down the left flank and he has the time and space to lay the ball into the path of Coutinho. From there, the Brazilian is left with a simple finish as he strokes a left-footed effort into the bottom corner.
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SAVE! Madrid look to respond immediately as they break quickly with Bale leading the charge. The Welshman tries his luck from range, but it is straight at Ter Stegen.
This is already beginning to look ominous for Real Madrid. Barcelona have started the match very confidently and are getting joy down their left too easily at the moment.
SAVE! Marcelo tries to continue his own recent scoring streak with a right-footed half-volley which bounces up awkwardly for Ter Stegen, but is still relatively straightforward for the keeper.
Here is that opening goal from Coutinho which has given Barcelona a deserved lead in this Clasico...
SAVE! Madrid almost shoot themselves in the foot here as Barcelona press Madrid high up the pitch. Ramos puts Nacho in all sorts of trouble with an attempted clearance and Nacho can only flick it straight to Arthur. The Brazilian tries to curl his effort into the top corner, but Courtois is there to make the save.
Pique is very fortunate to get away with one here as he is dispossessed by Bale on the edge of the box and then brings him down, only for the referee to tell the Madrid man to get up. That should have been a free kick in a very dangerous position!
This has been better from the visitors in the last five minutes or so. Barcelona's passes have just started going astray and that has allowed Madrid to get hold of the game a little bit more.
It looked like Barcelona might push on and inflict some serious damage on Madrid after their opener, but they have just let their grip over the game slip a little now. Madrid are looking more and more dangerous at the moment.
SAVE! Another save for Ter Stegen to make, but it is another routine one. The ball sits up nicely for Ramos as he gets in front of Suarez, chests it down and then let's fly with a 35-yard half-volley which is straight at the keeper.
PENALTY APPEAL! Suarez goes tumbling in the area after a challenge from Varane which looks clumsy. The referee lets play carry on, but he will check the VAR for sure. Real Madrid could be in more trouble here!
PENALTY! The referee checks the VAR replay himself and then points to the spot! Penalty to Barca!
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-0 REAL MADRID (LUIS SUAREZ)
GOAL! Suarez won the penalty, steps up and then tucks his finish right into the bottom corner. Courtois guessed right, but it was a really good spot kick.
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It is the first time VAR has ever been used in a Clasico match, but the right decision was made in the end. Things look bleak for Madrid, who had just begun to get back into the game before that second goal.
Just over 10 minutes remaining until half time now, and Madrid's target for the rest of the half may simply be damage limitation. Barca are in control of this one.
Here is that VAR penalty decision, which was duly tucked away by Suarez...
Alba is once again left in acres of space down the left flank, with Nacho having drifted inside. The full-back swings his cross into the box, but it is just a couple of yards in front of Suarez.
YELLOW CARD! Rakitic is the first name in the book for this Clasico as he trips Kroos from behind.
YELLOW CARD! Rakitic is swiftly followed into the book by Nacho, who brings Coutinho down late.
There haven't been many signs of encouragement for Real Madrid in this first half, but Barcelona have not kept a league clean sheet since August so they are not entirely out of this game yet. The next goal is crucial, though.
SHOT! Barcelona push for a third before half time as first Suarez swings a cross into the box which Pique cannot steer on target, and then Rafinha curls a 20-yard effort high and wide.
There will be one minute of added time at the end of this first half.
HALF TIME: BARCELONA 2-0 REAL MADRID
The first half comes to an end in El Clasico, then, and it is Barcelona who are in complete control of the contest against fierce rivals Real Madrid.
The hosts have enjoyed the lion's share of possession and territory, with Madrid's only spell where they started to look a match for their opponents ending when Barcelona doubled their advantage. It is a long way back for the visitors, and perhaps for manager Julen Lopetegui too.
The opening goal arrived after only 11 minutes when Barca cut Madrid open with a lovely team move which ended with a long ball picking out Alba down the left flank.
The full-back had all of the space he needed to pick out a low pass back to Coutinho, who was left with a simple finish into the bottom corner with Courtois drawn out of position.
The second goal arrived from the penalty spot on the half-hour mark as VAR came into play for the first time in El Clasico, retrospectively deeming that Varane had brought Suarez down inside the area.
It was the correct decision, and Suarez stepped up himself to tuck his inch-perfect spot kick beyond Courtois and into the bottom corner.
There is an awful long way back for Real Madrid, who were largely limited to long-range efforts which drew routine saves from Ter Stegen in that opening 45 minutes.
It will take a remarkable fightback from Madrid to turn this game around, and a failure to do so could well see this prove to be Lopetegui's final match in charge of the European champions.
KICKOFF: Barcelona get us back underway at the Camp Nou, and the first thing to note is that Madrid have made a change at the break with Varane being replaced by Lucas Vazquez, who will go to right-back with Nacho moving inside.
That is an interesting change from Lopetegui, who ignores the option of Odriozola on the bench in favour of Vazquez, who is usually a right-winger. Vazquez has played at right-back on a few occasions, but it has not always worked out well so it is a risk considering that is where Barcelona had most joy in the first half.
This time it is Madrid who come forward down the left and Marcelo swings a lovely cross into the box, but Lenglet gets to it just ahead of Benzema.
GOAL! BARCELONA 2-1 REAL MADRID (MARCELO)
GOAL! Real Madrid are right back in this match as Marcelo scores for a third game in a row!
Isco reaches the byline down the right channel and puts a cross into the box which Lenglet is able to deflect away from Bale and Benzema in the middle. However, Marcelo picks up the loose ball and keeps his composure in the area, taking a touch before firing a right-footed finish past the keeper.
I said the next goal would be crucial in this match, and suddenly Madrid's belief will have been raised a huge amount. Had Barcelona got a third it would have been game over, but now it is all to play for here.
YELLOW CARD! Bale picks up a yellow for a robust challenge from behind on Rakitic.
Madrid are looking a lot more dangerous now and they threaten an equaliser here as Ramos sends a diving header off target - although it would not have counted anyway due to the offside flag.
OFF THE POST! Madrid are inches away from restoring parity here as Modric hits the inside of the post with Ter Stegen beaten!
It is all Real Madrid now - the turnaround in this second half has been remarkable. Barcelona have been poor and Real Madrid have been vastly improved since the interval.
Good play from Alba down the left as he darts into the box before playing a low pass inside, but Suarez is for once flat-footed and can't get there in front of the defender.
OFF THE POST! Now it is Barcelona's turn to hit the post! The ball is floated over to the back post and Roberto turns it back into the middle from the byline. The ball is behind Suarez, but he manages to contort his body to volley it towards goal and against the upright!
Crucial defending from Pique as he snuffs out a chance for Isco, although he looks up to see the offside flag up. Rafinha had earlier lost the ball to Kroos, who set up the chance - more sloppy play from Barca!
This game is on a knife edge now - something which did not look likely at all in the first half. All of Barcelona's defensive frailties seem to be rearing up again at the moment!
CHANCE! Coutinho clips a lovely pass into the box for Alba, who takes it first-time on the volley but sees his effort deflect off Ramos and bounce narrowly wide.
Better from Barca in the last few minutes now as they start to respond after their slow start to the half. This one is very finely poised right now.
CHANCE! Big chance for Real Madrid to level things up! Vazquez gets down the right flank before whipping a cross into the box which Benzema meets, but he cannot keep his header down when he really should have done better! A striker of his quality should at least hit the target there!
Lopetegui looked like a dead man walking at half time of this match, but whatever he said at half time seems to have worked. The players are certainly fighting for him!
Less than 20 minutes remaining now and still this match is very finely balanced. Real Madrid continue to look more dangerous, and Barca are far from secure at the back.
BARCELONA SUB: Change for the hosts here as Ousmane Dembele replaces Coutinho.
GOAL! BARCELONA 3-1 REAL MADRID (LUIS SUAREZ)
GOAL! Game over at the Camp Nou? Barcelona restore their two-goal lead, and it is a lovely header from Suarez to put them 3-1 up.
Dembele makes an immediate impact to drive forward and launch the attack before giving the ball out to Roberto. He clips the ball to Suarez, who diverts a brilliant header past Courtois.
YELLOW CARD! Suarez's second goal is quickly followed by a yellow card for a foul on Nacho.
REAL MADRID SUB: The visitors make an interesting change as Marco Asensio replaces Bale.
We could be about to enter the final 10 minutes of Lopetegui's reign at Madrid here. His players have improved in this second half, but considering recent form this will be a difficult defeat to bounce back from.
SAVE! Barcelona come pouring forward on the break as Rakitic drives forward before giving the ball out wide for Suarez. He tries to return the favour by clipping a cross in for Roberto, who cannot get the power on his header to really trouble Courtois.
REAL MADRID SUB: Madrid are forced into another change here as goalscorer Marcelo is replaced by Mariano Diaz.
SHOT! Benzema does well to spin away from his marker and give the ball out wide to Asensio, but he latches a first-time effort well off target.
GOAL! BARCELONA 4-1 REAL MADRID (LUIS SUAREZ)
GOAL! Barcelona have a fourth, and Suarez has a hat-trick in the Clasico!
Ramos is robbed of possession by Roberto, who immediately plays the ball through for Suarez. The Uruguayan only has the keeper to beat, and his finish is exquisite as he lifts his finish over Courtois.
BARCELONA SUB: Arturo Vidal replaces Arthur as Barca make their third and final change of the afternoon.
Barca are being treated to some deafening 'Ole!' treatment at the moment. They are really enjoying this one!
GOAL! BARCELONA 5-1 REAL MADRID (ARTURO VIDAL)
GOAL! This is getting embarrassing for Real Madrid now! Barcelona had a fifth as Vidal gets in on the act just a few minutes after coming on!
Dembele beats his man far too easily on the left flank and stands his cross up into the middle for Vidal to nod past Courtois having been left completely unmarked!
This has to be the end for Lopetegui now. It seems strange to think that this game was on a knife edged just half an hour ago - it is now an embarrassment for Madrid.
CHANCE! Huge chance for Barca to add a sixth! A cross arrives in the box from Roberto in the right channel and Suarez produces an acrobatic volley with the ball behind him, but this time it is too close to Courtois!
CHANCE! There will be two minutes of added time at the end of this match as Benzema flashes a chance just wide of the far post!
FULL TIME: BARCELONA 5-1 REAL MADRID
The referee finally puts Madrid out of their misery, then, as the final whistle blows in the first El Clasico of the season and surely on Julen Lopetegui's Real Madrid tenure too.
Luis Suarez will dominate the headlines courtesy of his hat-trick, while Coutinho and Vidal were also on the scoresheet for the hosts, but at one stage it looked as though Madrid might fight their way back into the match after Marcelo had halved the deficit.
Barca scored three times in the final 15 minutes to embarrass their fierce rivals, though, climbed back to the top of La Liga in the process.
Right, that is all we have time for this afternoon!
Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for today's Clasico as Barcelona produce a memorable 5-1 win over their fiercest rivals to pour more misery on their season. I will leave you with our match report, and be sure to stay tuned for the fallout to this game.
From me, though, it is goodbye for now!
