The final showdown between Barcelona and Real Madrid this season is set for Sunday, with Barcelona hosting their rivals in a match critical to the outcome of the La Liga title race. Barcelona currently hold a four-point advantage over Real Madrid at the top of the table, putting them in a favorable position with only four games remaining. Coupled with their three previous victories against Madrid this season, the upcoming match appears to favor Barcelona. However, following their recent 7-6 aggregate loss to Inter in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, questions linger about Barcelona`s readiness for another major challenge.
The gap at the top of La Liga is narrow enough that a Real Madrid win on Sunday would intensify the title race significantly, leading to a tense finish for both teams. This game is equally vital for Los Blancos, as winning La Liga could be their only chance at silverware this season, particularly noteworthy in what is anticipated to be Carlo Ancelotti`s final season managing the team.
How to Watch, Odds
- Date: Sunday, May 11
- Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Barcelona -110; Draw +300; Real Madrid +240
Last Meeting
The two sides last met just two weeks prior in Seville for the Copa del Rey final, a dramatic match that Barcelona won 3-2. Pedri initially gave Barcelona the lead in the 28th minute. However, Real Madrid responded in the second half with goals from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni, taking the lead by the 77th minute. Ferran Torres equalized only seven minutes later, sending the game into extra time. The decisive goal came just four minutes before the end of extra time, scored by Jules Kounde. The match concluded with controversy as several Real Madrid players protested a refereeing decision, resulting in red cards for Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, and Antonio Rudiger. Rudiger subsequently received a six-match ban for throwing an object at the referee and is currently serving that suspension.
What Barcelona Are Saying
Barcelona`s bid for a treble this season ended with their Champions League defeat, raising concerns about their mental state ahead of Sunday`s Clasico. Coach Hansi Flick addressed this in his pre-match press conference, stating that the team has refocuses successfully since the loss in Milan.
“After the defeat in Milan, everyone knows it`s not easy after the match, but we`re doing great,” Flick said. “We spoke about that and what we want to do in the next two weeks. We have four matches to go. Of course, the Clasico is tomorrow and it is very important to show again how good we can play. Everyone knows in the Clasico, you have to be on your highest level. We want to be active, see the intensity on the pitch, and be dominant as normal. We know Real are a fantastic team, but we`re at home, we have our fans. Real will try everything to win it, like us. I don`t care about the table at the moment. We have to win. We want to win. This is our mentality, our attitude. This is how we will start the match. We focus on this match, nothing else.”
Barcelona will continue to face selection challenges due to injuries. While Robert Lewandowski returned from a short-term injury recently, and Alejandro Balde might also be back, Flick indicated they might not be ready to start.
“As starters, I don`t think the moment is right for them,” Flick explained. “Ferran [Torres] in attack and Gerard [Martin] at left-back are doing very good. When you see Gerard, how he`s playing in a semifinal of the Champions League, it`s really great. [Marc] Casado is also available. But we have to take care. We have three more league matches after Madrid. Tomorrow is more for them to come on in the second half.”
What Real Madrid Are Saying
Real Madrid enter the match amidst ongoing speculation regarding manager Carlo Ancelotti`s future, with reports linking him to the Brazil national team. Ancelotti, however, insisted that this uncertainty has not disrupted the team`s preparation for El Clasico.
“It`s not that complicated to prepare for these matches because there`s no need to prepare the players,” Ancelotti stated in his pre-match conference. “You have to give them the clearest possible ideas about how they should play the match. What`s happening around us hasn`t affected us at all this week. We`re fine and very confident. No problems.”
Ancelotti also took the opportunity to commend Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid player and the outgoing Bayer Leverkusen coach, who is widely speculated to be Ancelotti`s successor.
“I`ve read he`s leaving Leverkusen, where he`s done a fantastic job,” Ancelotti remarked. “All doors are open to him, because he`s shown himself to be one of the best coaches in the world.”
Predicted Lineups
Barcelona:
- Wojciech Szczesny
- Eric Garcia
- Pau Cubarsi
- Inigo Martinez
- Gerard Martin
- Frenkie de Jong
- Pedri
- Lamine Yamal
- Dani Olmo
- Raphinha
- Ferran Torres
Real Madrid:
- Thibaut Courtois
- Lucas Vazquez
- Aurelien Tchouameni
- Raul Asencio
- Fran Garcia
- Dani Ceballos
- Federico Valverde
- Rodrygo
- Jude Bellingham
- Vinicius Junior
- Kylian Mbappe
Player to Watch
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona: At just 17 years old, Lamine Yamal has rapidly become a central figure for Barcelona. Even with Robert Lewandowski potentially limited, Yamal has recently demonstrated his ability to spearhead the attack, both creating chances for teammates and scoring himself. He boasts 15 goals and 20 assists this season, including two in each category across the three Clasicos played so far. His contribution is particularly vital given Barcelona`s defensive vulnerabilities, which they often compensate for by outscoring opponents. Barcelona have scored 12 goals against Real Madrid`s four in their meetings this campaign.
Storyline to Watch
Can Barcelona Hold On?: Barcelona`s talent and their superior record against Real Madrid this season are undeniable. The main question is how they will respond after their disappointing Champions League exit. While their defensive frailties have been evident all season, Inter might have been the first team to truly capitalize on them effectively. This scenario technically presents an opportunity for Real Madrid, who possess potent attackers like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, seemingly capable of exploiting a weak defense. However, Real Madrid this season has often appeared imbalanced, struggling to turn individual quality into consistent end product. This final Clasico of the season offers a chance for either team to make a definitive statement, yet it`s also possible that both sides are too fatigued to deliver a truly dominant performance.
Prediction
While a Real Madrid victory, reversing their previous results against Barcelona, is certainly possible given the stakes, both teams share defensive weaknesses. Real Madrid will likely be without Rudiger, potentially forcing Tchouameni into a makeshift center-back role alongside the relatively inexperienced Raul Ascensio, which could create issues.
Even if defensive problems cancel each other out, Barcelona holds an edge in attack. Despite Madrid`s roster of individual talent, they haven`t fully gelled offensively. Barcelona, on the other hand, has demonstrated an ability to score freely even without Lewandowski, netting 12 goals in their last five games. If they are mentally prepared, they should be able to showcase their attacking strengths on Sunday.
Prediction: Barcelona 3, Real Madrid 1
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