Barcelona – Real Madrid : Preview & Prediction
For the fourth consecutive year, the first clásico of the season in LaLiga EA Sports (LL) will be played in October, and this time it is FC Barcelona who will play host at Montjuïc against Real Madrid, who are one point ahead of the azulgrana side. The record of the league meetings between the two giants is in favor of the Whites (RM 77, 35 draws, FCB 74), but Barça took all three points in last season’s clásico at the Camp Nou, taking a decisive step towards their 27th LL title.
Barça need to win on Saturday to overtake their arch-rivals in the standings despite being the only club to remain unbeaten in the current championship (G7, E3, +12). In fact, Xavi Hernandez’s side have not lost any of their 13 official matches this season (G10, E3), in which they are already on the verge of a place in the last 16 of the Champions League following their 2-1 win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday.
Olympic fortress: Barça have taken 15 points from a possible 15 in LL at the Stadio Olimpico Lluís Companys, keeping clean sheets in four of their five wins at their temporary home. However, the Azulgranas needed goals after the 75th minute in their three most recent home league victories. Canterano Marc Guiu was the star of the last of those wins, scoring on his debut 34 seconds after coming off the bench (FCB 1-0 Athletic Club), and the 17-year-old striker could be back in action alongside other promising youngsters in the Clasico due to his team’s injury plague.
A day before Barça 2-1 Shakhtar, Madrid won by the same scoreline at SC Braga to stay on top of Group C with a perfect record. Carlo Ancelotti rested several key players in a match whose 0-0 start was broken by Rodrygo, who ended a drought of nearly 900 minutes without scoring for Madrid. Vinicius Junior is getting back to his best and assisted the second goal for Jude Bellingham, who has confirmed that he will be available for the clásico despite the discomfort that forced his substitution late in the match in Braga. The Whites are moving full steam ahead towards one of the most important games of the season.
Ancelotti’s squad faces its second consecutive league outing after holding on to the lead with a 1-1 draw against Sevilla in a tense and controversial match at the Sánchez-Pizjuán. Madrid arrive at Montjuïc having lost just one of their last six away derbies (G3, E2, P1), including a 4-0 win in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinals last April.
Players to watch: Ferran Torres, who has opened the scoring in two of Barca’s four games prior to this Clasico, contributed directly to three goals (G2, A1) in his last three appearances against Madrid in LL. Vinicius Jr scored the opener in the 4-0 thrashing of Barça in the Copa del Rey last term; each of the Brazilian ace’s three goals in the Clasico has undone the early tie.
Series highlight: Each of the last six league derbies has had goals in both halves (RM: G4, P2).
Barcelona – Real Madrid : Betting Tips
Barcelona – Win Odds: 2.25
