Who: Barcelona vs Real Madrid
What: La Liga, El Clasico
Where: Camp Nou in Barcelona, Spain
When: Sunday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)
How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will bring you all the build-up and live updates from 17:00 GMT.
For weeks La Liga leaders Barcelona have been eagerly awaiting Sunday’s El Clasico as a chance to stretch the gap between themselves and rivals Real Madrid to a massive nine points.
Some turbulence in the final approach to the clash at Camp Nou has complicated the picture for Hansi Flick’s Spanish champions, who suffered their first defeat of the season at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday.
By contrast, Real Madrid have won four consecutive matches, thrashing RB Leipzig on Wednesday and starting to look, for the first time since Jose Mourinho’s arrival this summer, like a team.
Should Real come away with a win, it would not only halve the current six-point gap, but provide a much-needed confidence boost for a side that has lost six of the last seven Clasicos.
Mourinho’s return to the fixture will attract the most attention of all.
Mourinho set for 18th El Clasico
The 63-year-old is a veteran of 27 matches against Barcelona and 17 El Clasicos on the Real bench.
Real Madrid President Florentino Perez first appointed Mourinho as manager in 2010 to compete with Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, and he will hope the Portuguese can wrest the La Liga title back to the Bernabeu for a second time.
Mourinho’s first spell at Real coincided with arguably the most heated encounters in the modern history of El Clasico, and there will be numerous cameras trained on his every move at Camp Nou on Sunday.
The Portuguese manager won just once in his first 10 El Clasicos but went unbeaten in his final five games against Barcelona, recording three victories.
Unfair to compare us with Barca, Mourinho says
Flick’s Barca have won back-to-back La Liga titles and lead the top flight, in which they are unbeaten, while Mourinho arrived this summer after Madrid went two seasons without a major trophy.
Mourinho highlighted that he has been at the helm only a few months in comparison with Flick, who arrived at Barca in 2024.
“People look at us like a finished product, but finished products in football are difficult because they are never finished, … but they look at us like we’re in an advanced phase of the process,” Mourinho continued.
“We’ve been working for three months. Out of that you can take preseason when the players were arriving [back from the World Cup] and the recent international break. Then we’ve been together a month-and-a-half, two months.
“This is the start of a product. We’re in an initial phase where the coach is learning, analysing, bit by bit defining paths. The players are learning about the coach. … Comparing a team in this state [to more established sides], I think is unfair.”
Flick praises Mourinho before clash
The German coach said he expected a Madrid side arriving with “a lot of confidence” and praised Mourinho.
“I have the highest respect. When you’re managing teams on this level for so many years and you always have success, it’s about quality. He showed this at every club,” Flick told reporters.
“Every player from the [German] national team who worked under him speaks with a great respect. I think the same. He’s a colleague, a very, very successful colleague and a great colleague.”
Flick said the 4-2 defeat in Paris by PSG on Tuesday gave his team some clues as to where they need to improve.
“We analysed this game. We did many things really good, but we saw some situations where we have to improve,” Flick said.
“We have to grow as a team. Tomorrow we play against one of the best teams in the world, so it’s a good opportunity to grow, to challenge ourselves, to improve ourselves and to grow as a team.”
Managers on ‘incredible’, ‘unique’ El Clasico
Flick: “El Clasico is different. It is the best match in our sport, and everyone will watch it. It is incredible. It is true that we are playing for just three points, but the importance of the match goes far beyond that.”
Mourinho: “We’ve been in a good dynamic, winning games, playing well, scoring goals, but in El Clasico, it doesn’t matter what you did before. It has no influence. El Clasico is unique. Normally, the football world stops to watch it. Hopefully, it’s a great game and we win.”
How have Barcelona played this season?
Barcelona have a perfect record in La Liga with nine wins from nine games. They are five points clear at the top of the standings.
Their only defeat in all competitions this season came in the last match, in which they fell 4-2 to title holders PSG in the Champions League league phase.
How have Real Madrid played this season?
Real are third in the La Liga points table, six points behind leaders and rivals Barca.
They have won seven league games but lost to Atletico Madrid and Real Betis.
However, Real have made a perfect start in the UCL, registering two wins in as many matches.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Predictions
Opta’s supercomputer has given Barcelona a 54.4 percent chance of winning this Clasico while Real have a 26.1 percent probability. There are 19.5 percent odds of a draw.
Overall, Barca are given a 77.93 percent chance of retaining the title this season with Real tipped to finish second and Atletico third.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Head-to-head
Matches: 264
Barcelona wins: 106
Real wins: 106
Draws: 52
Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Form guide
Barcelona: L-W-W-W-W
Real Madrid: W-W-W-W-L
Where can I watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid?
Spain: Movistar, DAZN
Middle East and North Africa: beIN SPORTS
South Africa: SportyTV, DAZN
India: FanCode
United Kingdom: Disney+, Premier Sports
United States: ESPN, ESPN+
Barcelona’s team news
Midfielder Dani Olmo will miss the Clasico after being ruled out for about a month with a thigh injury.
Other names already on the injury list are Jules Kounde (ankle), Eric Garcia (thigh), Andreas Christensen (thigh) and Roony Bardghji (knee).
Predicted starting XI:
Joan Garcia (goalkeeper); Xavi Espart, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo; Marc Bernal, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, Anthony Gordon; Raphinha
Real Madrid’s team news
Vincius Jr will miss the game due to a suspension while Raul Asencio (leg) and Rodrygo (knee) are both injured.
Predicted starting XI:
Thibaut Courtois (goalkeeper); Federico Valverde, Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Alvaro Carreras; Bernardo Silva, Eduardo Camavinga; Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham, Yan Diomande, Kylian Mbappe
