The biggest football game in the world comes off this Sunday at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu with eight points separating first-placed Real Madrid and second-placed Barcelona and just five (5) games to go before the La Liga season draws to a close.
After a huge disappointment for them in the UEFA Champions League recently when PSG knocked them out in the quarter-finals, Barcelona will be turning their attention to their domestic league where there is still a very slim chance they could win it.
After their incredible win over the current champions of the UEFA Champions League last Wednesday in England, the Los Blancos will be hitting the gas four days later at home against arch-rivals Barcelona to keep their lead in the league and take away any hopes.
Real Madrid Does Not Bottle League Leads
While a defeat against their eternal rivals could make the remaining 4 games after the El Clasico very must-win games, and with their journey in Europe still on track in the form of a semi-final meeting against Bayern, it can be expected that Real Madrid will not let up.
Real Madrid is not a club known for going from leading or winning positions to losing positions. As a matter of fact, if they are known for something, it is that they come from losing positions to win.
That attribute of not giving up their comfortable leads like an eight points gap in a title race with 5 games to go is something that can be counted on going into this possible league-defining encounter with Barcelona.
With Carlo Ancelotti’s side having dominated the El Clasico a lot in recent times, winning all their last three games versus Xavi’s men including two games where they won by 4 goals, Real Madrid is sure to go into this new face-off with a lot of enthusiasm and belief.
Barcelona will not Want to Lose the El Clasico for a 4th Straight Time
Barcelona and Xavi Hernandez’s season has not gone the way they thought it would after their first season together, a season they won the Spanish La Liga and while most of that has been because they have failed to win any of the trophies on offer, much also has to do with how much they have been beaten by Real Madrid.
Having recently been eliminated from the Champions League by Paris Saint Germain and with the relationship between Xavi and Barca still very uncertain as to whether the manager would want to stay beyond this season, losing yet another El Clasico is the last thing Barca needs and wants.
One can expect Barca to go into this game against Real Madrid on Sunday with all the seriousness they can master to try to salvage whatever is left in their season, which would be a slim chance of beating Real Madrid to the league title.
The game will be at the Bernabeu, a place Barcelona have gone to get great results with 3 wins from their last 5 visits, losing only 2, and that is more motivation for Barcelona and Xavi to try to end the season on a great note with a sweet victory over their nemesis.
Match Stats
Real Madrid is ranked 1st in goals scored per match (2.2 goals) while Barcelona is ranked 3rd in goals scored per match (2 goals) in the Spanish league this season.
Real Madrid has kept the most clean sheets (16) while Barcelona have created the most big chances in the Spanish league this season (110).
Real Madrid is on an unbeaten run of 38 games in their all-competition participation while Barcelona are on a run of 15 consecutive away undefeated matches in their domestic league.
Robert Lewandowski has the most goals and assists for Barcelona, 21, while Jude Bellingham has the most for Real Madrid, 20.
You can check out the El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga on MSport here.
