The final El Clasico match of the current season is set to be a crucial encounter, with merely four points separating Barcelona and Real Madrid as only four games remain in the intense La Liga title race.
Barcelona is generally considered the favorite for this clash, especially given their strong performance in previous Clasicos this season. They have defeated Real Madrid three times already, outscoring their rivals significantly with a 12-4 aggregate score across those matches. However, Barcelona`s recent disappointing 7-6 aggregate loss to Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday raises significant questions about their ability to recover quickly and perform at their peak in such a high-stakes game.
Adding another layer of complexity to this match is the fact that neither squad will be entirely at full strength. Real Madrid will be missing Antonio Rudiger, who is serving a six-match suspension following an incident involving throwing an object at the referee during the Copa del Rey final. Barcelona, on the other hand, will not have a fully fit Robert Lewandowski as he makes his return from a short-term injury; Alejandro Balde is also in a similar condition.
Match Details
- Date: Sunday, May 11
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo (Try for free)
- Odds: Barcelona -110; Draw +300; Real Madrid +240
Speaking about player fitness in his pre-match press conference on Saturday, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick commented, “As starters, I don`t think the moment is right for them.” He highlighted the strong recent performances of Ferran Torres in attack and Gerard Martin at left-back, noting, “When you see Gerard, how he`s playing in a semifinal of the Champions League, it`s really great.” Flick also mentioned Marc Casado is available but emphasized caution, stating, “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.”
This situation leaves both managers facing significant tactical decisions, especially with the prestigious La Liga top prize hanging in the balance.
Here is a look at the predicted starting elevens for the final Clasico of the season:
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
