CLÁSICO PREVIEW | FC Barcelona v Real Madrid

It's time to Paint it, Blaugrana! To the sound of the Rolling Stones, and with the band's logo on their shirts, FC Barcelona face Real Madrid in what promises to be an utterly honky tonk edition of El Clásico. The Estadi Olimpic is the venue with the Catalans knowing that a win would move them above their biggest rivals in the chase for the Liga title. The Stones might insist that they can't get no satisfaction, but Barça fans certainly will if that happens.

The Rolling Stones tie-in in connection to the partnership with Spotify will be reflected in the wide range of different activities in and around the stadium in the build-up to kickoff. You can find full details of those here. And if you're lucky enough to be going to the game, do make sure you get there early, because you'll have a role to play in the surprise mosaic that's being unfored as the players emerge onto the pitch.

You'll also find very useful advice for getting to the stadium at this link.

Barça have an alarming number of injuries to contend with, but the youngsters that have stepped in to full the gaps have been grabbing all kinds of headlines with their antics. More of the same would be fabulous, although coach Xavi is also hinting that some of the recent absentees might just make it back in time for the showdown that the whole world will be wanting to follow from 4.15pm CEST on Saturday.

How it stands

Winning El Clásico would move Barça two points ahead of Real Madrid, but it won't mean they go top of the league for Girona nabbed a 1-0 win over Celta on Friday night and are now in pole position, four points clear of their fellow Catalans. They left it late though, with Yangel Herrera finally finding the net in the first minute of injury time, not long after Celta had been hotly disputing the decision to disallow a goal of their own.

Real Madrid would go back to the top should they win on Saturday, while a draw would very much suits Girona's interests. Fourth placed Atlético Madrid are at home to Alavés on Sunday night, and a win for them, coupled with the fact that Barça or Madrid will be dropping points this weekend, would throw them right back into the midst of the championship race.  

Previous meetings

Last ten Clásicos (not including friendlies)
05/04/23 (COPA) Barça 0-4 Real Madrid
19/03/23 (LIGA) Barça 2-1 Real Madrid
02/03/23 (COPA) Real Madrid 0-1 Barça
15/01/23 (SUPERCOPA) Real Madrid 1-3 Barça
16/10/22 (LIGA) Real Madrid 3-1 Barça
20/03/22 (LIGA) Real Madrid 0-4 Barça
12/01/22 (SUPERCOPA) Barça 2-3 Real Madrid
24/10/21 (LIGA) Barça 1-2 Real Madrid
10/04/21 (LIGA) Real Madrid 2-1 Barça
24/10/20 (LIGA) Barça 1-3 Real Madrid

Including the preseason friendly at the AT&T in Dallas, this is the fifth and last time time that the two teams have met in 2023, and Barça have won three of the four played so far, the only exception being the painful 4-0 loss in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg, which was all the more alarming after Barça had won the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu thanks to an Éder Militão own goal.

There's been a very clear shift back to blaugrana after a nasty run when Madrid won five competitive Clásicos in a row from 2020 to 2022. This years agame also included a quite majestic Barça victory in the Spanish Super Cup Final in Saudi Arabia last January, where the all-whites were never allowed a look-in.

And although Barça had lost the Liga game at the Bernabeu, they gained revenge in the return at Spotify Camp Nou. Although Madrid took the lead through a Ronald Araujo own goal, Sergi Roberto levelled up and then Franck Kessie scored that dramatic winner right at the end, just moments after Madrid had thought they'd won it with a goal that was given as offside!

Madrid form guide

Rather like Barça, Real Madrid have struggled their way through some games but are nevertheless winning almost all the time. Their only defeat in La Liga was 3-1 in the derby with local rivals Atlético, while last week they dropped two more points when they were held to a 1-1 draw at Sevilla.

Also like Barça, they have won all three of their Champions League games, against Napoli, Braga and Union Berlin.

And also like Barça, they've had injuries to contend with. First choice keeper Thibaut Courtois is out long-term, and that's a major blow to them, with Kepa Arrizabalaga generally preferred as the Belgian stopper's replacement. Defender Militao is also out until next year.

Vinícius Júnior is always going to be a danger up front, but this year the goals have been particularly coming from one of the sensations of la Liga 2023/24, Jude Bellingham, who's averaging almost a goal a game.

Barça team news

Coach Xavi Hernández welcomes back Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde to the squad for the visit of Real Madrid as they were all named in a 23 man squad on the morning of the game. Still out due to injury are Pedri, Sergi Roberto and Frenkie de Jong. 

Did you know?

Real Madrid have scored 299 goals in all Liga Clásicos played to date and Barça have 298. So both teams stand to break the 300 barrier on Saturday, and a two-goal win for Barça would move them into the lead in this particular battle.

A new stadium is sadly not a good omen if history is anything to go by. On both their first visits to Les Corts and to Camp Nou, Real Madrid went away with the win. Let's hope that changes in the first meeting at Estadi Olimpic.

There are a good omens too, though. Do you remember what happened the last time Barça played Real Madrid on October 28?

For Real Madrid don't have a very good track record at this stadium, winning just twice in six visits. Most of those were in the days when Espanyol played there, but it was also where they lost the 2004 Copa del Rey final to Real Zaragoza.

If he plays, Lamine Yamal will become the youngest player ever to appear in a Clásico. The current record is held by Vicente Martínez, who represented Barça in this fixture way back in 1941.

There aren't too many players on either side who have much experience of scoring goals in El Clásico. Vinícius Júnior and Fede Valverde are the leaders, but they only have three each. The player with the most Clásico experience is Luka Modric, with 31 appearances.

What they're saying

Barça boss Xavi promised 'valiant' football from his side in a game that has 'more of everything'...

The players have been voicing their opinions ahead of the game too. Here are Andreas Christensen, Marcos Alonso, Fermín López, Lamine Yamal and Iñigo Martínez: