By Ashiadey Dotse
The first El Clásico of the season is set for Saturday, 25th October 2024, at the Santiago Bernabéu. Barcelona, the current La Liga leader, has a three-point lead over Real Madrid in second place. This situation was unexpected after 10 matches. Last season, Madrid beat Barcelona twice on their way to the league title and also added star player Kylian Mbappé to an already strong attack featuring Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, and Jude Bellingham.
On the other hand, Barcelona began this season with uncertainty, and The first El Clásico of the season is set for Saturday at the Santiago Bernabéu. Barcelona, the current La Liga leaders, have a three-point lead over Real Madrid in second place. This situation was unexpected after 10 matches. Last season, Madrid beat Barcelona twice on their way to the league title and also added star player Kylian Mbappé to an already strong attack featuring Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo Goes, and Jude Bellingham.
Barcelona began this season with uncertainty and financial troubles. Hansi Flick replaced Xavi Hernández as coach, and despite signing Dani Olmo, the squad initially seemed lacking in depth and experience. However, they have started the season well, highlighted by a 4-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, where Raphinha scored a hat-trick.
Clásico History:
In all competitions: Madrid leads with 105 wins, Barcelona has 100, and there have been 52 draws.
In LaLiga: Madrid has 79 wins, Barcelona 74, with 35 draws.
At the Bernabéu in La Liga: Madrid has 37 wins, Barcelona 19, and 13 matches ended in draws.
Hansi Flick replaced Xavi Hernández as coach, and despite signing Dani Olmo, the squad initially seemed lacking in depth and experience. However, they have started the season well, highlighted by a 4-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, where Raphinha scored a hat-trick. If they win on Saturday, they could go six points ahead of Madrid. Meanwhile, Mbappé will be keen to make an impact in his first Clásico, while Vinícius comes into the match having scored three goals in a recent 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund.
Last Season’s Clásicos:
Barcelona played better in both league meetings but still lost. In the first match at Montjuïc, Ilkay Gündogan scored early for Barça, but Madrid turned it around with a goal by Bellingham in the 68th minute and a stoppage-time winner to seal a 2-1 victory. In the second league match, Barcelona led twice but eventually lost 3-2 as Bellingham scored another last-minute winner. A win in these games could have made them champions, but narrow margins led to defeats.
Current Form:
Real Madrid is unbeaten in La Liga, with seven wins and three draws, but their playing style has not been convincing. They have dropped points in games they should have won and rely more on individual talent, especially from Mbappé and Vinícius. They miss retired midfielder Toni Kroos with his near-perfect passes, and Mbappé’s presence has disrupted the team’s balance. Barcelona, under Flick, has exceeded expectations with nine wins out of 10, scoring more goals than Madrid, even while dealing with injuries to key players. Their trip to the Bernabéu will be their toughest test so far.
Team Analysis:
Goalkeeper: Madrid will be without Thibaut Courtois, with Andriy Lunin stepping in. Barcelona’s Iñaki Peña has been filling in for the injured Marc-André ter Stegen but lacks the same reliability. Szczęsny could compete for the spot but might not start in this match.
Defence: Madrid’s Lucas Vázquez will replace injured Dani Carvajal, while Militão and Rüdiger continue at center-back. Barcelona has a settled back line despite long-term injuries to key defenders, but their high defensive line could be a risk.
Midfield: Madrid will field a strong midfield, with players like Valverde, Camavinga, and Modrić, while Tchouaméni could be the weak link. Barcelona has had injuries in midfield but will likely start with youngsters and possibly bring back returning players.
Attack: Madrid will depend on Vinícius and Mbappé, who are dangerous but don’t always help defensively. Barcelona’s attack has been in great form, with Lewandowski leading the scoring and Yamal and Raphinha contributing well.
