Real Madrid-Barcelona preview: Everything you need to know about El Clasico
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5872297/2024/10/25/real-madrid-barcelona-el-clasico-preview/
Eleven games into the season, we have our first Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday at 9pm local time (8pm BST, 3pm ET).
There is plenty at stake. Madrid could go level on points with Barca at the top of the table with a win (giving them the advantage, as La Liga is decided on head-to-head results). Hansi Flick’s impressive side could extend their lead to six points with a victory at the home of their arch-rivals.
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Both teams have just recorded statement Champions League wins against Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich in midweek. And if that’s not enough to tempt you, the presence of stars such as Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or favourite Vinicius Junior, a revitalised Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal should be.
Here’s what you need to know about the 258th competitive Clasico.
What’s changed for both sides since they last faced each other in La Liga in April?
There have been two major changes for Real Madrid: Toni Kroos’ retirement and Mbappe’s arrival.
The German midfielder made Madrid tick with the way he built moves from the back, so the team are more direct and less elaborate in their play now. The more energetic Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Jude Bellingham have been given more prominent roles, but coach Carlo Ancelotti has yet to find a creative force to replicate Kroos’ influence.
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Vinicius Jr was Madrid’s undisputed star on the left wing — but that changed with Mbappe’s signing. The Frenchman also prefers to play in that position so the two have had to alternate during games, with Mbappe nominally starting as a centre-forward but moving to the left and Vinicius Jr often drifting into the middle.
Mbappe has had a mixed start to his Madrid career, scoring eight goals and providing two assists in 13 games but sometimes looking an awkward fit in this system.
Earlier this month, his lawyer said she believed he had “nothing to be reproached for” after reports linking him to an alleged rape in Sweden. He is also still involved in a legal dispute with PSG over €55million ($60m; £46m at current exchange rates) in salary and bonuses from his time at the club that he claims is owed to him.
Mbappe has started as a centre-forward for Madrid (Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
Looking at the names for Barcelona, not much is different. Dani Olmo was their only major signing this summer and they let Ilkay Gundogan return to Manchester City on a free transfer after one year, but the most influential change has been on the sidelines.
Flick replaced Xavi as coach and Barca’s world now looks very different. They play more direct and are aggressive without the ball, adopting a high line and relentlessly pressing their opponents to give them a fine start to the season.
Despite being an outsider, Flick has doubled down on the club’s trust in their La Masia academy. The 21-year-old midfielder Marc Casado is the latest talent off that production line and starred in the 4-1 win against Bayern on Wednesday.
How have they done so far this season?
It tends to be the case that when things are going well in Barcelona, those at Madrid are more pessimistic — and this season is no exception.
On the face of it, Madrid are only three points behind Flick’s team and have yet to lose in La Liga. But the team’s style is not progressing, despite Ancelotti having said a month ago that the problem and solution were “clear”. Bellingham is the player who has suffered the most — the Englishman scored 23 goals in a sensational 2023-24 debut season but now seems lost in midfield.
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The lack of fresh ideas has forced Ancelotti to turn to the 39-year-old Luka Modric as his creative fulcrum, but that can’t be a long-term solution. In defence, Madrid are conceding more chances than last season (although they have actually conceded three goals fewer than Barca’s 10 in La Liga). The theory was that would be offset by the fireworks from Mbappe and Vinicius Jr in attack, but for now the balance isn’t right.
Barca have done incredibly well. The Catalans have been the best team in Spain by a distance, with 27 points after 10 games, 33 goals scored and stylish performances, such as the one they produced against Bayern.
Flick has galvanised the squad and completely changed the feeling around the club, including among executives and fans. Barcelona are energetic and well-structured, and the players seem to have absorbed their new manager’s ideas with ease.
There have been question marks as to whether Flick will maintain his team’s fearless approach against a Madrid side who can be deadly on the counter-attack — Barca have caught their opponents offside an average of 6.5 times per game this season, which is an all-time La Liga high at present — but their fans can’t help feel excited and hopeful about this Clasico.
In Lewandowski, Raphinha and Yamal, they have the top-scoring attacking trio in Europe’s top five domestic leagues, with 21 goals between them (the next most is Manchester City’s 15 across their three leading scorers). You can add Pedri’s resurgence in midfield to that, with the Spaniard seemingly having left behind his injury problems. Then there is the centre-back partnership formed by Inigo Martinez and Pau Cubarsi, who have let in just five league goals when they have played together.
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Have they got any injury concerns before this game?
Madrid have quite a few when it comes to key players. Thibaut Courtois (the No 1 goalkeeper), Dani Carvajal, David Alaba and Rodrygo are all out. Right-back Carvajal could be the biggest loss after his serious knee injury earlier this month — replacement Lucas Vazquez is more winger than full-back and has not looked totally convincing.
Tchouameni is still dealing with a foot problem and was rested against Dortmund but is expected to play tomorrow. Militao had a knee scare against Celta Vigo last Saturday, but it turned out to be nothing, while Bellingham is still struggling with his long-standing shoulder problems — not that it will prevent them from starting in this one.
Brahim Diaz has recovered from a muscle injury and is expected to be available. He could provide an intriguing alternative from the bench.
Defensive midfielder Eric Garcia, who felt some groin discomfort last week before their match against Sevilla on Sunday, was the only doubt for Barcelona. He didn’t train with the team today and is expected to miss this game. Other than him, things seem pretty clear.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen (their first-choice in goal), Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Marc Bernal and Ferran Torres are all out through injury, but Flick has got Olmo, Fermin Lopez and Frenkie de Jong back over recent weeks. It’s difficult to see any of them playing the full 90 minutes against Madrid, but they will give Flick options during the game.
Flick has galvanised Barcelona (Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Who is each side’s star player?
If we had to answer this question a few weeks ago, we’d probably be talking about Mbappe, given it’s his first Clasico after a seemingly endless wait over his transfer from Paris Saint-Germain to Madrid in recent years. And his eight goals make him their joint-top scorer, but it is the other Madrid player with that tally — Vinicius Jr — who has taken centre-stage in recent weeks.
The Brazilian’s second-half hat-trick against Dortmund on Tuesday showed why he is their most dangerous player. Vinicius Jr’s ability to break through defences and connect with the Bernabeu crowd should make him one of the biggest headaches for Flick and his players tomorrow.
It has to be Yamal. There are so many standout names in Barcelona’s start to the season — including Lewandowski, a newly confident Raphinha and Pedri — but the 17-year-old’s rise has continued at rapid pace.
He’s added more consistency and numbers to his game this season after winning the European Championship with Spain in the summer — with five goals and seven assists in 13 games. Beyond that, he remains Barca’s go-to man in attack when they need a creative edge and a player feared by every rival side.
He is also a player for the big occasion. Against Bayern in midweek, he delivered an assist, then produced nutmegs, flicks and dribbles to evade Alphonso Davies, Serge Gnabry and Joao Palhinha among others.
In past interviews, Yamal has said the toughest defender he’s faced in his short career is Madrid left-back Ferland Mendy. There can be no better motivation for him to perform on Saturday.
So what do their best starting XIs look like for this game?
What’s your prediction for the game?
Guillermo: Madrid to win, 2-1.
Pol: Barcelona to win, 3-1.
