Real Madrid will receive Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium this Saturday, October 26 from 16:00 (ARG, URU and CHI) and 14:00 (COL, PER and ECU) on the 11th La Liga from Spain.
Why is it important
Every classic between Real Madrid and Barcelona attracts the attention of the entire planet. For many it is the most important rivalry in the entire world of football. This Saturday, Merengues and Culés will face each other at a time when both will have offensive power a classic prediction of those that are not easily forgotten.
Real Madrid had a strange first phase of the season. Although there are only a few minor problems in terms of results, the team’s play still leaves some doubts. During the week, Carlo Ancelotti’s team was going to lose 0-2 at home against Borussia Dortmund, but thanks to the great Vinícius Júnior, they won 5-2. It remains to be seen how the Whites approach the game against their biggest rivals, knowing that they will be facing one of the best offensive lines at the moment.
Barcelona, He is in a state of grace under the orders of Hansi Flick. The German has changed the face of the team, is destroying its rivals in La Liga, and has also settled in the Champions League. In this competition, the Blaugranas beat Bayern Munich 4 to 1, one of their “black beasts” in recent years, a result that gave them a big boost of confidence ahead of the weekend’s classic game.
The Catalans come into this duel three points ahead of those from the capital, ie. so the La Liga title final result may be at stake in this game.
Players to watch
Real Madrid has some names in its team that would make any rival nervous. Although Ancelotti tests different tactical models to see how to fit them all together and get the most out of them, it is true that there are some who are already at their best, or very close to it. This is the case of Vinícius Júnior – a great candidate to win the next Ballon d’Or -, who knows that there is no better stage than a Spanish classic to prove to the world that he is an absolute star.
Barcelona also has a Brazilian in a state of grace: Raphinha He scored a hat-trick in the Champions League and has been involved in nine goals in his last four games. The left-hander is finding exceptional form under Flick’s orders, and Madrid’s defense will need special attention.
This is how they come
Merengue beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 on Tuesday in the Champions League, and their last La Liga match was a 2-1 win against Celta de Vigo. They are second in the local tournament table, three points behind Barcelona.
The Culés also achieved an unprecedented victory by beating Bayern Munich 4-1 in the continental competition. Domestically, Barcelona beat Sevilla 5-1 to go top of La Liga.
The last precedent
The last time these teams met in an official match was on 21 April 2024 at the Santiago Bernabéu on the 32nd day of La Liga 2023/2024, and Real Madrid won 3-2 with goals from Vinícius Júnior, Lucas Vázquez and Jude Bellingham. Andreas Christensen and Fermín López scored for the culés.
When they play: date, time and live TV
The match between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be played on Wednesday, October 23 at 16:00 (ARG, URU and CHI) and 14:00 (COL, AGAINST ECU).
