Here’s our Real Madrid vs Barcelona preview and prediction for Saturday’s massive La Liga clash at the Santiago Bernabéu. Who will emerge victorious in the season’s first El Clásico?
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Match Preview
With a four-point gap widening between the top two and their closest pursuers, it appears Barcelona and Real Madrid are once again set to battle for La Liga dominance this season.
Both teams dazzled in midweek UEFA Champions League action, with Madrid staging a 5-2 comeback against Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona cruising past Bayern Munich 4-1, making this the standout European fixture of the week.
Hansi Flick’s Blaugrana currently top the table with nine wins in his first 10 league games, while Madrid, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, hold one of the two remaining unbeaten records in the league, alongside Atlético.
Ancelotti’s reigning La Liga and European champions have a chance not only to unseat Barça but also to achieve a historic milestone, as they are just one game away from matching the longest unbeaten run in La Liga history, set by Ernesto Valverde’s Barcelona from April 2017 to May 2018.
Remarkably, Madrid have remained unbeaten in La Liga since their 3-1 defeat to rivals Atlético on September 25, 2023. Their league run now spans 42 matches, with 31 wins and 11 draws.
Saturday’s clash provides them with a chance to match Valverde’s Barça’s record (34 wins, 9 draws). With bottom club Valencia awaiting them next, Madrid could be on track to claim the record outright.
In Tuesday’s Champions League thriller, they rallied from a 2-0 deficit to defeat Dortmund 5-2, with Ballon d’Or favorite Vinícius Júnior netting a spectacular second-half hat-trick. This brings his total to 35 goal involvements (20 goals, 15 assists) in his last 35 Champions League appearances.
Vinícius has also thrived against Barça, contributing to seven goals (five goals, two assists) across his last four El Clásico appearances. Altogether, he has scored seven goals in 17 matches against Barcelona—his second-highest tally against any club after Valencia (8 goals).
With the Brazilian pairing up alongside Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, Madrid possess the attacking strength needed to halt Barça’s impressive start under Flick and secure their place in the record books.
Flick, on the other hand, couldn’t have asked for a stronger opening to his Barcelona tenure, with only a 4-2 loss at Osasuna last month marking a blemish on his La Liga record.
Last week’s 5-0 demolition of Sevilla brought the Blaugrana to 33 goals in 10 league games under Flick—second only to Real Madrid legend Zinedine Zidane, who scored 34 in his first 10 La Liga matches as manager this century.
Three of the nine players across Europe’s top five leagues who have reached 10 or more goal contributions this season hail from Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski (12 goals, 2 assists), Lamine Yamal (4 goals, 6 assists), and Raphinha (5 goals, 5 assists).
Among those leagues, only three players have registered at least five goals and five assists so far this season: Mohamed Salah (5 goals, 5 assists for Liverpool), Cole Palmer (6 goals, 5 assists for Chelsea), and Raphinha.
Flick’s side made a statement on Wednesday by outclassing his former club Bayern Munich, with a hat-trick from Raphinha helping Barcelona snap a six-game Champions League losing streak against the Bundesliga giants. The victory came with an average starting XI age of just 24 years and 185 days—their youngest in a Champions League match since December 2011 against BATE Borisov (23 years, 93 days).
Saturday’s clash at the Bernabéu, however, will be Flick’s toughest challenge yet. Each of the last five Barcelona managers—Xavi, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setién, Ernesto Valverde, and Luis Enrique—lost their first Clásico. The last coach to win his debut was Gerardo Martino in 2013 (2-1). If Flick breaks this streak, Barça will gain an early edge in the title race.
Should the Blaugrana triumph, Yamal is likely to be pivotal. The Euro 2024 champion has already tallied six assists in La Liga, becoming the first Barça player to hit that mark within the opening 10 matches since Lionel Messi in 2014-15 (seven).
However, Barcelona still have several players out due to injury, including Marc-André ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, Ferran Torres, and Ronald Araujo.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Head-to-Head
Madrid have dominated recent encounters with Barcelona, winning each of their last four meetings across all competitions. Another victory would mark five consecutive El Clásico wins for only the second time in the last 59 years, a streak they last achieved from 2020 to 2022.
Carlo Ancelotti could also become just the third manager in Clásico history to claim five or more wins in a row, joining Miguel Muñoz (seven wins from 1962 to 1965) and Pep Guardiola (five wins from 2008 to 2010).
Jude Bellingham played a decisive role in both league matches between the two sides last season, securing dramatic winners in a 2-1 victory in Catalonia last October and a 3-2 win in Madrid in April.
Madrid have claimed victory in four of their last five home encounters with Barça (one loss), winning the most recent two. They haven’t managed three consecutive home Clásico wins in La Liga since a streak of four from 1988 to 1991, a period during which they captured the league title three times in four seasons.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Team News and Predicted Lineup
Real Madrid: Team News
Real Madrid face a significant setback ahead of the season’s first competitive Clásico against Barcelona, as both Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo are sidelined due to injuries.
Rodrygo exited Tuesday’s thrilling 5-2 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund in the final minutes, with scans later revealing a thigh injury likely to keep him out until after the November international break. Jude Bellingham may move into a more advanced role to cover for Rodrygo, while Aurelien Tchouameni or Eduardo Camavinga could slot into midfield. Kylian Mbappé, making his Clásico debut, and Ballon d’Or frontrunner Vinícius Jr. are expected to complete the front three.
Courtois, who played the full match against Dortmund, will also miss up to three weeks due to a thigh injury. A club statement confirmed his diagnosis as an adductor injury in his left leg, noting that his progress will be closely monitored. Andriy Lunin will step in for Courtois against Barcelona, having previously faced and defeated Barça twice.
David Alaba and Dani Carvajal are also unavailable due to injuries, while Brahim Diaz returns to the matchday squad. Midfielder Tchouameni is also back in contention after making his comeback against Dortmund.
Real Madrid: Predicted Lineup (4-3-1-2)
- Goalkeeper – Lunin
- Defenders – Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy
- Midfielders – Tchouameni, Camavinga, Bellingham, Valverde
- Forwards – Mbappe, Vinicius.
Barcelona: Team News
Barcelona will be without several key players for the first competitive El Clásico of the season on Saturday night.
Hansi Flick leads his formidable Barça squad into La Liga action against Real Madrid, aware that a win would create a significant six-point advantage over the current champions. However, their list of absentees is extensive.
Marc Bernal and Marc-André ter Stegen are not expected to return this season, while Andreas Christensen is likely out until the New Year.
Ronald Araujo and Eric Garcia might return before then but are not expected to travel to Madrid this weekend, and Ferran Torres will also be unavailable.
On a positive note, Gavi is back and made a late appearance in Wednesday’s impressive 4-1 victory over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, along with Frenkie de Jong and Dani Olmo.
Barcelona: Predicted Lineup (4-2-3-1)
- Goalkeeper – Pena
- Defenders – Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde
- Midfielders – Casado, Pedri, Fermin
- Forwards – Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Prediction
While Barça has been the standout team in La Liga this season, Flick’s young squad hasn’t faced a forward line as quick and threatening as Mbappé and Vinícius. Anticipate an exciting, fast-paced match with both teams pushing forward. I believe this will benefit Madrid, but regardless, it promises to be a thrilling encounter filled with goals.
Prediction: Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona.
When and Where to Watch El Classico? Broadcast and Streaming Details
Barcelona will face Real Madrid on Sunday midnight, October 27, with the match set to kick off at 12:30 AM IST. GXR World Website holds the broadcasting rights for the La Liga 2024-25 season in India. The game will be streamed live on the GXR World Website. Fans can also watch the match via live stream on the GXR World app on their smartphones in India.
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When is the El Classico?
The El Classico is on Sunday midnight, October 27, with the match set to kick off at 12:30 AM IST.
