The final El Clasico of the season is upon us as Barcelona hosts Real Madrid in a critical match for the La Liga title race. Barcelona currently holds a four-point advantage at the top of the table, positioning them well with only four games remaining. Their previous three wins against Real Madrid this season might suggest an advantage for Barcelona on Sunday. However, their recent narrow 7-6 aggregate defeat to Inter in the UEFA Champions League semifinals raises doubts about their current form and readiness.
The gap between the top two is narrow enough that a victory for Real Madrid on Sunday is plausible, which would ignite an intense finish to the season. This game carries significant weight for Los Blancos, as winning La Liga could be their only trophy this season, especially noteworthy given it`s widely expected to be Carlo Ancelotti`s last season in charge.
Ahead of this pivotal El Clasico showdown, here`s what you should know before tuning in.
How to Watch El Clasico, 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
Their most recent encounter was just two weeks ago in the Copa del Rey final in Seville, where Barcelona secured a dramatic 3-2 victory. Pedri opened the scoring in the 28th minute, but second-half goals from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni put Madrid ahead by the 77th minute. Just seven minutes later, however, Ferran Torres equalized, sending the game to extra time. The winning goal came with just four minutes left courtesy of Jules Kounde. The match ended controversially with disagreements over a refereeing decision, leading to red cards for Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, and Antonio Rudiger. Rudiger received a six-match ban for throwing an object at the referee and has already served two games.
What Barcelona Are Saying
Barcelona`s hopes for a treble ended with their painful Champions League exit. The main question before Sunday`s Clasico is whether they are mentally prepared for another big match. Coach Hansi Flick stated on Saturday that the team has moved past the disappointment and focused on the upcoming tasks.
“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 continues to face squad limitations. While Robert Lewandowski has returned from a minor injury and Alejandro Balde might also be back, Flick indicated they might not start.
“As starters, I don`t think the moment is right for them,” Flick commented. “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 approaches the match amidst ongoing speculation about Carlo Ancelotti`s future, with reports suggesting he may leave to manage Brazil. However, Ancelotti stated that this uncertainty hasn`t impacted the team`s preparation.
“It`s not that complicated to prepare for these matches because there`s no need to prepare the players,” Ancelotti said in his pre-match press 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 praise Xabi Alonso, a former Real Madrid player and the departing Bayer Leverkusen coach, who is widely tipped 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, Lamine Yamal has quickly become a key player for Barcelona. Even if Lewandowski is limited, Yamal has recently demonstrated his ability to lead the attack, creating chances and scoring himself. He has accumulated 15 goals and 20 assists this season, including two goals and two assists across the three previous Clasicos. His contribution is especially valuable given Barcelona`s defensive vulnerabilities, which they often compensate for by outscoring opponents. They`ve scored 12 goals against Real Madrid`s four in their meetings this season.
Storyline to Watch
Can Barcelona Maintain Their Edge?: Barcelona`s quality is evident, as is their favorable record against a Real Madrid side that hasn`t always performed at its peak this season. A key question is whether their Champions League elimination will impact their focus and energy. While Barcelona`s defensive issues have been apparent throughout the season, Inter Milan recently capitalized on them effectively. This situation theoretically favors Real Madrid, who possess potent attackers like Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, capable of exploiting a shaky defense. However, Real Madrid has often shown a lack of balance this season, with their offensive stars sometimes failing to produce the expected final product. This final Clasico offers both teams a chance to make a significant statement, but it`s also possible that exhaustion from the season means neither side can fully deliver.
Prediction
While it`s possible Real Madrid could turn the tables on their record against Barcelona this season, especially given the high stakes, both teams share defensive concerns. Real Madrid will miss Rudiger, likely requiring Aurelien Tchouameni to play out of position at center back alongside the less experienced Raul Ascensio, potentially causing issues. However, even if defensive problems cancel each other out, Barcelona appears to have the attacking advantage. Despite Real Madrid`s individual talent, they haven`t always found cohesion. Barcelona, conversely, has proven they can score even without Lewandowski, netting 12 goals in their last five games. Provided they are motivated and ready, Barcelona should be able to showcase their attacking strengths on Sunday. Pick: Barcelona 3, Real Madrid 1
