The two most successful teams and bitterest rivals in Spanish soccer history, Real Madrid and Barcelona, will renew hostilities when they lock horns in the first El Clasico of the season this weekend. Read on to get all the key information about the top-of-the-table clash in La Liga.
Real Madrid will host Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for the El Clasico on Matchday 11 of the 2024-25 La Liga season. The game will kick off at 9:00 PM CEST / 3:00 PM EST / 12:00 PM PT on Saturday, October 26.
Fans in the United States can catch the game on ESPN Deportes, ESPN+, and the ESPN app. Fubo, which offers new users a free trial, will also carry the game.
Real Madrid have not been at the top of their game this season, but they have proven extremely difficult to beat. Carlo Ancelotti’s men have not tasted defeat in their last 42 La Liga games. They are just one win or draw away from surpassing Barcelona’s record. Real Madrid have won seven of their 10 games in the Spanish top flight, drawing the other three. With 24 points, they are sitting in second place in the rankings. Los Merengues beat Celta Vigo 2-1 away from home in their last La Liga game. Meanwhile, in their midweek UEFA Champions League fixture, they came from 2-0 down to seal a 5-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund.
Barcelona, on the other hand, have been absolutely flying under new manager Hansi Flick. They have won nine of their 10 La Liga matches, with their only La Liga defeat coming against CA Osasuna at the end of September. With 27 points to their name, the Blaugrana sit at the summit – three points clear of arch-nemesis Real Madrid. Barcelona bagged a smashing 5-1 win over Sevilla on Matchday 10, last weekend. Then, in their midweek Champions League fixture, the Catalans secured an emphatic 4-1 win over Bayern Munich, ending a nine-year losing streak against the Germans.
Real Madrid manager Ancelotti has plenty of absentees to deal with for Saturday’s El Clasico. He was already going to be without David Alaba (ACL) and Dani Carvajal (ACL). Now, Thibaut Courtois (adductor) and Rodrygo (hamstring) have joined the defenders on the treatment table, with the pair picking up said injuries during the midweek Champions League clash.
Flick also has his fair share of absentees. The German will be without Ronald Araujo (hamstring), Ferran Torres (hamstring), Andreas Christensen (Achilles), Marc Bernal (ACL), and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (knee).
Real Madrid and Barcelona have locked horns 257 times over the years in all competitions. The Whites have a slender advantage, winning matches 105 compared to Barca’s 100, with 52 games ending all square. Barcelona have lost their last four matches against Real Madrid, with their last victory coming around 18 months ago.
It is always pretty difficult to call this game, and it is no different this time around. Barcelona seems to be in better form but Real Madrid has the home advantage. We believe it will ultimately boil down to individual brilliance, and Madrid is clearly ahead in that area. We predict Los Blancos will secure a 2-1 victory, with Kylian Mbappe scoring the winning goal.
