Real Madrid face FC Barcelona in Saturday's El Clásico.

2024-10-20

As the first El Clásico of the La Liga season kicks off at the Santiago Bernabéu, Real Madrid and FC Barcelona clash with their eyes set on the summit, each bringing the momentum of dramatic Champions League victories and the rivalrous ambition to either protect or challenge a storied unbeaten streak.

Real Madrid

Real Madrid delivered a thrilling UEFA Champions League comeback win on Tuesday night, overturning a two-goal halftime deficit to defeat Dortmund 5-2 at the Bernabéu. Vinicius Junior was at his very best, scoring a hattrick in the second half to inspire the dramatic turnaround.

‘It was the best second half of the season,’ Carlo Ancelotti said after the game. Reflecting on the hattrick hero's performance, the Italian manager added, ‘What I can say is that it's rare to see a player who plays a second half like he did; he's extraordinary.’

The win was Madrid’s third consecutive victory in all competitions, including a 2-1 league triumph over Celta de Vigo last weekend. Madrid will look to continue this momentum when they return to La Liga action this Saturday, welcoming archrivals Barcelona for the first El Clásico of the season.

Currently second in the league standings with 24 points, Madrid are three points behind Saturday’s opponents, who sit at the summit. Buoyed by a dominant record against the visitors, having won the last four El Clásico meetings, Los Blancos will aim to take all three points once again this weekend.

Madrid are enjoying an impressive 42-game unbeaten run in La Liga. They would equal Barcelona’s record of 43 games without a league loss if they avoid defeat this weekend. Ancelotti might revert to the familiar 4—3—1—2, with Vinícius paired up front alongside new signing Kylian Mbappé, who would replace the injured Rodrygo.

FC Barcelona

Meanwhile, Barcelona head into the weekend on the back of a commanding 4-1 UCL victory over Bayern Munich on Wednesday. Like the hosts, Barça also had their own midweek hattrick hero in Raphinha, who opened the scoring barely a minute into the game, before adding two more in the 45th and 56th minutes.

'Raphinha is a good example of how a player can impact how a team can function,' Hansi Flick said, praising the Brazilian after a win against his former employers. ‘This victory gives us confidence to believe in our quality for the match coming up on Saturday,’ the German manager added.

While Barca will look to extend their lead at the summit with a win this weekend, they will also aim to disrupt Madrid’s unbeaten streak, with their own long-standing record at stake. However, Barcelona have failed to record wins in 10 of their last 14 El Clásico games.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, and Raphinha are expected in attack in Flick’s 4—3—3.