The ultimate version of El Clasico this season will happen on Sunday when Barcelona host Actual Madrid in a match that will likely be essential in figuring out who wins La Liga’s title race. Barcelona enter the match with a four-point lead over Actual Madrid atop the desk, retaining them within the driver’s seat to win the title with simply 4 video games left on the schedule. Mixed with the truth that Hansi Flick’s facet have crushed their rivals 3 times already this season, it looks like Sunday’s match favors Barcelona. After their back-and-forth 7-6 combination loss to Inter within the UEFA Champions League semifinals, although, there is a query of whether or not Barcelona will likely be as much as the duty.
The purpose hole between first and second place in La Liga’s is simply sufficiently small to entertain the concept of Actual Madrid getting the higher of Barcelona on Sunday, a consequence that may ship each groups right into a frantic race to the end line. The sport is an all-important one for Los Blancos, too, contemplating La Liga’s title is the distinction between them ending the season trophyless or not, particularly notable in what is predicted to be Carlo Ancelotti’s closing marketing campaign in command of the crew.
Forward of a consequential version of El Clasico, this is what it is advisable to know earlier than tuning in.
The right way to watch El Clasico, odds
- Date: Sunday, Might 11 | Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: ESPN | Reside stream: Fubo (Strive without spending a dime)
- Odds: Barcelona -110; Draw +300; Actual Madrid +240
Final assembly
These two met up simply two weeks in the past in Seville for the Copa del Rey closing, which Barcelona received in a dramatic 3-2 match. Pedri gave Barcelona the lead within the twenty eighth minute, however second-half objectives from Kylian Mbappe and Aurelien Tchouameni meant Actual Madrid had the lead by the 77th minute. Simply seven minutes later, although, Ferran Torres scored and set the sport to further time. The ultimate objective of the sport got here with simply 4 minutes left on the clock courtesy of Jules Kounde, whereas the match ended with a fracas as a number of Actual Madrid gamers disagreed with a refereeing determination. Jude Bellingham, Lucas Vazquez, and Antonio Rudiger have been all despatched off on the finish of the sport, whereas Rudiger acquired a six-match ban for throwing an object on the referee and is at the moment two matches into that suspension.
What Barcelona are saying
Barcelona’s quest to win the treble for the primary time in a decade is formally over after their crushing Champions League defeat, forcing one huge query forward of Sunday’s Clasico: Are they prepared for an additional main matchup? Flick stated in his pre-match press convention on Saturday that Barcelona have efficiently pivoted to the duty at hand within the days since their disappointing journey to Milan.
“After the defeat in Milan, everybody is aware of it isn’t straightforward after the match, however we’re doing nice,” Flick stated. “We spoke about that and what we wish to do within the subsequent two weeks. We’ve got 4 matches to go. In fact, the Clasico is tomorrow and it is vitally necessary to point out once more how good we will play. Everybody is aware of within the Clasico, it’s a must to be in your highest stage. We wish to be lively, see the depth on the pitch, and be dominant as regular. We all know Actual are a unbelievable crew, however we’re at dwelling, we’ve our followers. Actual will strive the whole lot to win it, like us. I do not care in regards to the desk in the mean time. We’ve got to win. We wish to win. That is our mentality, our perspective. That is how we’ll begin the match. We give attention to this match, nothing else.”
A lot as they’ve been over the previous couple of weeks, although, Barcelona will as soon as once more be shorthanded. Robert Lewandowski, who returned from a short-term damage on Tuesday, and the identical could also be true for Alejandro Balde.
“As starters, I do not suppose the second is correct for them,” Flick stated. “Ferran [Torres] in assault and Gerard [Martin] at left-back are doing superb. Whenever you see Gerard, how he is taking part in in a semifinal of the Champions League, it is actually nice. [Marc] Casado can be out there. However we’ve to take care. We’ve got three extra league matches after Madrid. Tomorrow is extra for them to return on within the second half.”
What Actual Madrid are saying
As has been the case for the final a number of weeks, Actual Madrid enter yet one more recreation with the lingering questions on Carlo Ancelotti’s future. The Italian supervisor will reportedly exit the membership, doubtlessly to hitch the Brazil nationwide crew forward of the 2026 World Cup, although he stated the uncertainty won’t cloud the gamers’ preparation forward of El Clasico.
“It is not that difficult to arrange for these matches as a result of there is no want to arrange the gamers,” Ancelotti stated in his pre-match press convention on Saturday. “It’s a must to give them the clearest attainable concepts about how they need to play the match. What’s occurring round us hasn’t affected us in any respect this week. We’re high-quality and really assured. No issues.”
Ancelotti did have the possibility to reward Xabi Alonso, the previous Actual Madrid participant and outgoing Bayer Leverkusen coach who may be very more likely to succeed Ancelotti within the coming weeks.
“I’ve learn he is leaving Leverkusen, the place he is finished a unbelievable job,” Ancelotti stated. “All doorways are open to him, as a result of he is proven himself to be top-of-the-line coaches on this planet.”
Predicted lineups
Barcelona: Wojciech Szczesny, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Gerard Martin, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Ferran Torres
Actual Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni, Raul Asencio, Fran Garcia, Dani Ceballos, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe
Participant to look at
Lamine Yamal, Barcelona: Lamine Yamal is rapidly changing into the default reply to prompts like this one, discovering a approach at simply 17 years previous to grow to be the inspiration for Barcelona’s success. Flick’s facet could also be with out Lewandowski for a lot of this recreation, however the previous couple of weeks have provided the newest reminder that Yamal is greater than able to main the crew’s attacking plans, each by establishing the teammates in entrance of him and by getting his personal title on the scoresheet. He has 15 objectives and 20 assists this season, together with two in every class within the three Clasicos to date this season. {The teenager} will likely be particularly useful since Barcelona’s greatest weak point is their porous protection, a problem they will often survive as a result of they typically outscore the opposition, Actual Madrid included – they’ve scored their rivals 12 to 4 to date this marketing campaign.
Storyline to look at
Can Barcelona maintain on?: Barcelona’s skills are clear, as is their document in opposition to an underperforming Actual Madrid this season. The large query is that if that may matter after their Champions League elimination, however it’s not the one unknown variable going into Sunday’s Clasico. Inter’s midweek triumph might not have revealed Barcelona’s defensive shortcomings, which have been on show all season lengthy, however the Champions League finalists have been maybe the primary to actually make them pay for it. It’s a state of affairs that’s technically ripe for the taking for Actual Madrid, who boast the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, two gamers who ought to be capable to outdo a porous again line. That’s the place the difficulty lies for Los Blancos this season – they’ve exuded imbalance of their new period of the Galacticos, and have restricted finish product to point out for it. The ultimate Clasico of the season needs to be an opportunity for certainly one of these groups to actually make a press release, nevertheless it’s totally attainable neither of them have sufficient left within the tank to truly do this.
Prediction
It isn’t out of the query for Actual Madrid to reverse course on their lopsided document in opposition to Barcelona this season, particularly contemplating what’s at stake. Barcelona’s defensive woes, although, are one thing they’ve in frequent with their opposition – Ancelotti’s facet will likely be with out Rudiger, possible forcing Aurelien Tchouameni to play makeshift middle again but once more alongside the pretty inexperienced Raul Ascensio, which may complicate issues.
Even when the defensive messes steadiness one another out, Barcelona nonetheless have the sting in assault. Regardless of the person high quality on Madrid’s roster, they haven’t discovered a approach to make all of it click on simply but. As for Barcelona, they’ve been capable of rating objectives with out Lewandowski – 12 in 5 video games, to be actual – and so long as they’re up for the duty, they need to be capable to reveal their strengths as soon as once more on Sunday. Decide: Barcelona 3, Actual Madrid 1
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