The El Clasico showdown is regarded by many to be the best club football match on the globe, and this season it is Real Madrid who are on fire while Barcelona are more vulnerable than in recent years (Madrid 7/5, draw 13/5, Barcelona 7/4 – Match Betting).
Real currently hold the upper hand in La Liga and sit top of the table with a three-point advantage over their rivals. With 10 wins in their last 10 league matches – 15 games unbeaten in all competitions – confidence will be flowing through their veins as they look to increase the gap over Barca.
A win for Barcelona would get them back into the title race before they board a plane to compete in the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan, but what makes life tough for them is the fact they need to defeat Real at a time when they look unbeatable.
Pep Guardiola’s side can boast an impressive recent record themselves as, either side of their shock loss to Getafe, they have won six matches in which they conceded only two goals and scored 21 themselves.
Barcelona fans will also pay close attention to their manager’s record against Madrid, with Guardiola boasting five wins, one draw and no defeats in his six El Clasico league games as boss. The record at the Bernabeu is two wins and one draw, with an average of 2.6 goals per game.
But this season is different to recent years as Barcelona have struggled on the road. Just two wins in six games is below their usual high standards, while they have failed to keep a clean sheet in six of their 11 away fixtures in all competitions.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have both scored an impressive 17 league goals this season already and seem the obvious two options for first goalscorer (Ronaldo 10/3, Messi 7/2 – First Goalscorer), while Cesc Fabregas (7/1) has weighed in with seven league goals himself and, given the fact he practically plays as a striker in all but name in this Barca team, he could find himself in the right place at the right time.
Madrid could benefit from the fact Jose Mourinho managed to rest a lot of his star players for their Champions League game in midweek, and the biggest decision for ‘The Special One’ is whether to choose Karim Benzema or Gonzalo Higuain in attack.
Barcelona have switched between 4-3-3 and 3-4-3 formations this season but don’t be surprised if Guardiola opts for caution against a Madrid side that are capable of scoring goals at will. That means Javier Mascherano could be at centre-half and the midfielder’s lack of pace will then be targeted by the men in white (Real Madrid 2-0 – 10/1).
For the last few years Barcelona have been considered the best team in the world, but this game will be a huge test of their credentials as Madrid are playing like a team possessed at this point in time.
This weekend’s game could signal a dramatic momentum shift in Spanish football.
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Tuesday marks the start of final round of matches in the group stages in the Champions League and there is still plenty to play for with qualifying positions as well as top spots up for grabs, not least in Group E which sees a make-or-break clash at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea host Valencia.