Barcelona vs Real Madrid: All you need to know about the much-awaited El Clasico

Barcelona and Real Madrid will battle it out in the much-anticipated El Clásico late Sunday night. With Barca leading the La Liga standings, the aim of the Jose Mourinho-managed side would be to close the gap on the table toppers. The Catalans have begun the top-flight Spanish competition with a bang, winning all nine of their opening matches, collecting a full 27 points. However, Barcelona received a jolt earlier this week, going down 2-4 against PSG in the Champions League.

On the other hand, Real Madrid have regained some momentum under Mourinho, winning their last four matches in La Liga and the Champions League. In the Spanish competition, Madrid are third with 21 points, sitting six points behind leaders Barca.

With both Madrid and Barcelona having some rich vein of form, the contest at Camp Nou promises to be a cracking affair.

When: Monday (1:30 AM IST)

Where: Camp Nou, Barcelona

What: La Liga

Who: Barcelona vs Real Madrid

Streaming: Fancode

Head-to-head record

Matches: 264

Real Madrid wins: 106

Barcelona wins: 106

Draw: 52

Form guide

Barcelona: WWWWL

Latest: Barcelona lost to PSG 2-4 in the Champions League.

Real Madrid: LWWWW

Latest: Real Madrid beat RB Leipzig 4-1 in the Champions League.

Managers speak

Hansi Flick, Barcelona manager:

“How to stop Mbappe? The only way to do that is to position ourselves well without the ball and press him by advancing our defensive line. We know Real Madrid are one of the best teams in terms of set-pieces. So we’ll need to defend better than we did against Paris. We talked about it and rehearsed it."

Jose Mourinho, Real Madrid manager:

"I think the people who thought a week ago Barca would thrash us will keep thinking the same thing. People look at us like a finished product, but in football, finished products are difficult because they are never finished. We've been working for three 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, I think, is unfair."

Key players

Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)

Barcelona's hopes will once again rely on Lamine Yamal to make the difference. Yamal's battle against Madrid's defence could prove decisive. His willingness to get involved in one-on-one battles can disrupt defensive structures and create openings for teammates. Yamal never shies away from combining control and exceptional dribbling, and this allows him ample opportunities to create chances against all odds.

Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid)

For Madrid, it will all boil down to what sort of day Mbappe has. The French forward's acceleration and clinical finishing make him a constant threat, especially when the opposition provides him space in the defensive lines. He excels at quick transitions; hence, the other Real Madrid players would be required to ensure he receives quality passes without sacrificing defensive stability.