Barcelona vs Real Madrid - Competition: Spanish Primera Division
Barcelona team returned to the top of the table last weekend with a thrilling
4-2 win over Sevilla, despite making their worst start to a season in
13 years. A 2-0 win over Inter on Wednesday ensured that the
Blaugrana maintained a 100% winning start in the UCL.
Anyway, Ernesto Valverde's men were not at their best until the
international break, as they dropped points at home to Girona and Bilbao, drew at Valencia and suffered a defeat away to Leganes.
This corresponding fixture last season finished 2-2 while Barca were
3-0 winners at the Bernabeu in last season's other league match. Messi
is out through injury: the Argentine has only missed two games against
Real Madrid since his first taste of this fixture, and Barcelona haven't
won either (D1 L1).
With Messi unlikely to return to action until the middle of November, Rafinha Alcantara will probably complete the front trio with Philippe Coutinho and Lis Suarez. As alternative, Ernesto Valverde could give Ousmane Dembelè a rare start. In midfield, Arthur has been hugely impressive since arriving in the summer and is expected to partner Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic once again. At the back, Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet are the only available senior centre-backs. The pair will be flanked by Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, with Nelson Semedo as back up option.
Real Madrid team sits seventh in La Liga table with just 14 points from nine games, four behind league-leading Barça. It's the sides worse start to a season in 17 years. The Galacticos got back to winning ways in midfield as they narrowly beat Viktoria Plzen at home (2-1) in Champions League but pressure is mounting on former Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui after recent defeats against the likes of CSKA, Deportivo Alaves and Levante. Defensive laxity and an inability to control games had long been a problem.
The visitors are in the middle of a defensive crisis as Dani Carvajal is carrying a calf injury and Marcelo is also not fully fit. Alvaro Odriozola is on stand-by to step up and start El Clasico. Raphaël Varane is likely to return to the XI despite recent slip-ups. Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are expected to play in front of Casemiro in midfield while the 'tridente' should be formed by Karim Benzema, Bale and Isco. The likes of Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz and Federico Valverde could start if Lopetegui rotates his side while Vinicio Junior is out through suspension.
With Messi unlikely to return to action until the middle of November, Rafinha Alcantara will probably complete the front trio with Philippe Coutinho and Lis Suarez. As alternative, Ernesto Valverde could give Ousmane Dembelè a rare start. In midfield, Arthur has been hugely impressive since arriving in the summer and is expected to partner Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic once again. At the back, Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet are the only available senior centre-backs. The pair will be flanked by Jordi Alba and Sergi Roberto, with Nelson Semedo as back up option.
Real Madrid team sits seventh in La Liga table with just 14 points from nine games, four behind league-leading Barça. It's the sides worse start to a season in 17 years. The Galacticos got back to winning ways in midfield as they narrowly beat Viktoria Plzen at home (2-1) in Champions League but pressure is mounting on former Spain head coach Julen Lopetegui after recent defeats against the likes of CSKA, Deportivo Alaves and Levante. Defensive laxity and an inability to control games had long been a problem.
The visitors are in the middle of a defensive crisis as Dani Carvajal is carrying a calf injury and Marcelo is also not fully fit. Alvaro Odriozola is on stand-by to step up and start El Clasico. Raphaël Varane is likely to return to the XI despite recent slip-ups. Toni Kroos and Luka Modric are expected to play in front of Casemiro in midfield while the 'tridente' should be formed by Karim Benzema, Bale and Isco. The likes of Marco Asensio, Mariano Diaz and Federico Valverde could start if Lopetegui rotates his side while Vinicio Junior is out through suspension.
Probable lineups:
FC Barcelona: ter Stegen – S.Roberto, Pique, Lenglet, J.Alba – Busquets, Rakitic, Arthur – Rafinha, Coutinho – L.Suarez.
Real Madrid: Courtois – Odriozola, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo – Casemiro, T.Kroos, Modric, Isco – Asensio, Bale.
Date: 28 October 2018
Kick-off Time: 15:15 BST - 16:15 CET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
Kick-off Time: 15:15 BST - 16:15 CET
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona
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