Madrid, Oct 24 (IANS) FC Barcelona hosts Real Madrid in the first ‘Clasico’ of the season at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday, in what is the biggest game of the season to date in Spain. The match is likely to be surrounded by controversy and could also go a long way towards deciding the title race.
Barcelona go into the game having won its first nine La Liga matches of the season. Hansi Flick’s side sit at the top of the standings with 27 points, six more than Real Madrid, who have won seven matches but suffered defeats away to Betis and Atletico Madrid.
Another defeat would leave Real Madrid nine points behind Barcelona, a significant deficit to make up even at this relatively early stage of the campaign, reports Xinhua.
The good news for Jose Mourinho’s side is that they have bounced back strongly after the international break, beating Sevilla 4-1 at home last weekend before defeating RB Leipzig by the same scoreline in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Arda Guler and Yan Diomande have been in excellent form, and their pace on the counter-attack could be a key factor on Sunday against a Barcelona side that likes to maintain possession and play with a high defensive line.
Barcelona lost 4-2 away to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, with the reigning European champions exploiting gaps in the Barcelona defence. Injuries to Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde, who looks certain to miss out with an ankle injury, have also limited Flick’s defensive options.
That is likely to mean Joao Cancelo continues at left-back, with 19-year-old Xavi Espart on the right and Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin in central defence.
One potential change from Tuesday should be the return of Rodri in central midfield to provide additional control and protection in front of the back four.
Real Madrid will be without Vinicius Jr., who is serving the second match of a four-game domestic suspension. That could mean Diomande returns to the starting line-up after the summer signing impressed with goals against Sevilla and Leipzig.
Elsewhere, Fede Valverde is expected to continue at right-back, with former Barcelona youngster Marc Cucurella on the left and two of Dean Huijsen, Ibrahima Konate and Antonio Rudiger in central defence.
Real Madrid has complained about refereeing decisions going against them this season, with Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez responding that the complaints “are becoming tiresome”. Controversy is likely to surround the game, especially if Mourinho’s men look to disrupt Barcelona’s possession with tactical fouls.
That controversy will be another ingredient in what is always a footballing spectacle.
–IANS
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