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Barcelona versus Real Madrid kicks off at 8pm GMT (9pm local time) on Sunday, October 25 at the Spotify Camp Nou.
In the UK, it will be shown on Premier Sports and you can stream it on the Premier Sports Player.
Thirteen years after his last Clásico, José Mourinho is back. Real Madrid head to the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday night to face a Barcelona side that has won all nine of its La Liga games this season, and a defeat would leave Mourinho’s side nine points behind their great rivals in October.
The build-up has been dominated by what happened in Paris on Tuesday. Barcelona arrived at the Parc des Princes with a perfect record across all competitions this season, but PSG handed them their first defeat of the campaign, winning 4-2. Barca did fight back twice, with 19-year-old Xavi Espart scoring on his Champions League debut and Lamine Yamal equalising, but late goals from Vitinha and Fabián Ruiz settled it. It was Barcelona’s third straight defeat to Luis Enrique’s side.
Hansi Flick refused to panic. “In the end, PSG showed they were better than us, and that’s why we lost,” he said. “Titles aren’t won in October.”
The defeat also came at a cost. Dani Olmo was injured in Paris, and Barcelona’s defensive issues remain a concern. They have gone 18 Champions League games without a clean sheet.
Domestically, though, Barca have been flawless. They have taken 27 points from nine league games, they have won each of their last 23 La Liga home matches, and they have scored at least twice in every league game at the Camp Nou this season. Yamal comes into the Clásico with eight league goals.
Real Madrid arrive in confident mood after a 4-1 thrashing of RB Leipzig on Wednesday, their fourth straight win in all competitions following the hard-fought defeat of Villarreal, the 4-3 comeback in Rome and the 4-1 win over Sevilla. They have won seven and lost two of their nine league games, and they sit six points behind Barcelona.
This will be Mourinho’s first Clásico since March 2013. In his first spell at the Bernabéu, he won five, drew six and lost six of his 17 games against Barcelona, but he is unbeaten in his last five meetings with them as Madrid boss, winning three and drawing two.
Last season, Madrid won the October Clásico 2-1, but Barcelona won the Supercopa final 3-2 and then won 2-0 in May to clinch the league title.
Spain
| # | Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Last 5 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 9 | 30 | 27 | W W W W W |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 19 | 8 | 11 | 22 | W W W W W |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 23 | 9 | 14 | 21 | W W L W W |
| 4 | Real Betis | 9 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 16 | 14 | 2 | 19 | L W D W W |
| 5 | Real Sociedad | 9 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 16 | W W W L W |
| 6 | Sevilla | 9 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 14 | L D L W W |
| 7 | Alaves | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 11 | L L D L L |
| 8 | Celta Vigo | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 11 | W D W D D |
| 9 | Deportivo La Coruna | 9 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 13 | 12 | 1 | 11 | D L D L D |
| 10 | Osasuna | 9 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 11 | W L D L L |
| 11 | Levante | 9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 15 | 17 | -2 | 10 | W D D L L |
| 12 | Villarreal | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 13 | 13 | 0 | 9 | D L W W L |
| 13 | Athletic Club | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 9 | -1 | 9 | L D D D W |
| 14 | Rayo Vallecano | 8 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 12 | 17 | -5 | 9 | D D W L W |
| 15 | Getafe | 9 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 11 | -6 | 9 | D L W L D |
| 16 | Espanyol | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 11 | 12 | -1 | 8 | L D L L W |
| 17 | Racing Santander | 9 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 13 | 25 | -12 | 8 | L D L L W |
| 18 | Elche | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 11 | 17 | -6 | 7 | D D W L D |
| 19 | Valencia | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 15 | -9 | 6 | D D L W L |
| 20 | Malaga | 9 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 18 | -12 | 4 | L D L L D |
Barcelona have several defensive problems. Eric García is out, and Jules Koundé is a doubt. Andreas Christensen and Roony Bardghji also remain sidelined, and Olmo has been ruled out after his injury in Paris.
If Koundé misses out, Espart is likely to keep his place after his goal on Tuesday. Raphinha, Yamal and Fermín López are expected to lead the attack, with Pedri and Rodri in midfield.
For Real Madrid, Vinícius Júnior is serving the second game of his four-match La Liga ban. Rodrygo (knee), Ferland Mendy (hip) and Raúl Asencio (leg) are also out.
Mourinho has some big calls to make, with Federico Valverde potentially filling in at right-back again. Kylian Mbappé is Madrid’s biggest threat and has been in superb form.
Barcelona: Joan García; Espart, Cubarsí, Gerard Martín, Cancelo; Rodri, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Fermín, Gordon; Raphinha
Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Konaté, Huijsen, Cucurella; Tchouaméni, Güler; Brahim, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappé
Madrid still have issues away from home and if there is one side that can take advantage of any shortcomings it is Barcelona. There should be goals with so much attacking talent on view.
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