According to a report by daily post on Saturday October 24, 2026, Former Real Madrid midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has predicted the outcome of Sunday's El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, backing José Mourinho's side to secure victory through effective counter attacking football.

According to a report by Winwin, the former Dutch international believes Real Madrid can take advantage of Barcelona's tendency to lose possession and punish them during transitions.

The upcoming encounter will be the first El Clásico of the current campaign. Barcelona will host Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday, with kick off scheduled for 9:00 p.m. local time.

Barcelona have made an impressive start to their La Liga campaign, winning all nine of their opening matches. The Catalan side currently enjoy a six-point advantage over Real Madrid, who sit third in the league standings.

However, Van der Vaart believes Madrid have the quality and mentality needed to overcome their rivals.

Speaking to Winwin, the former midfielder said he expects Real Madrid to win because they can exploit Barcelona's weaknesses when they lose possession.

Although he acknowledged Barcelona's strong performances this season, Van der Vaart insisted that Madrid's ability to launch quick counter-attacks could prove decisive.

The former Real Madrid player, who also represented Tottenham Hotspur and Hamburger SV, highlighted the difference in mentality between the two clubs.

He described Real Madrid as a winning machine, explaining that the players consistently fight for their manager and give everything on the pitch.

Barcelona head into Sunday's encounter following a disappointing 4-2 defeat to Paris Saint Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. The result raised questions about their defensive performance ahead of the important meeting with their biggest rivals.

However, Van der Vaart does not believe the European defeat will significantly affect Barcelona's performance in the Clásico.

He acknowledged that losing such an important match, particularly by a two-goal margin, is never ideal. Nevertheless, he expects Barcelona to respond positively when they face Real Madrid.

With both teams eager to secure a crucial victory, Sunday's encounter promises to be an important test of their title ambitions.