Just three points separate Real Madrid and Barca ahead of the season’s first El Clasico

Real Madrid are set to host FC Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu on Saturday in the first El Clasico of the 2024-25 LaLiga campaign.

The visitors have hit the ground running this season and they currently sit top of the table after winning nine of their first 10 league games. Under new coach Hansi Flick, a rejuvenated FC Barcelona went on a seven-game winning streak to kick off the campaign, including a 7-0 thrashing of Real Valladolid, a 4-1 victory away at Girona FC and a 5-1 thumping of Villarreal CF on the road.

Despite CA Osasuna briefly putting an end to Los Blaugranas’ momentum with a 4-2 victory at El Sadar on Matchday 8, Flick’s side bounced back by thumping Deportivo Alavés 3-0 away from home and cruising past Sevilla FC with a 5-1 win at the Estadi Olímpic in Montjuïc on Sunday.

FC Barcelona are also coming into El Clasico following a statement 4-1 home victory, courtesy of a hat-trick from an in-form Raphinha, over Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.

⏳ #ElClásico ⏳ pic.twitter.com/FQxlnpuvtV

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 26, 2024

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are heading into Saturday’s clash after a brilliant 5-2 comeback win against Borussia Dortmund in the premier European football competition on Tuesday.

The German side took a two-goal lead before the break, but Los Blancos turned the game around in the second half, with Vinícius netting a hat-trick to lead his team to a trademark Real Madrid comeback win at the Bernabéu.

⏳ #ElClásico ⏳
📺 INSIDE TRAINING 👉 #RMPlay
🔗 https://t.co/WUICDuLYcv#RMCity

— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 25, 2024

Despite being one of the two undefeated LaLiga teams, along with neighbours Atlético de Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti’s team are currently trailing leaders FC Barcelona by three points.

The LaLiga reigning champions have won seven of their 10 league games so far, while the other three games – all of which took place away from home – ended in 1-1 draws at RCD Mallorca, UD Las Palmas and Atlético de Madrid.

By this weekend, Real Madrid will have gone as many as 568 days unbeaten at home, having suffered their last loss in front of their own fans back on 8 April 2023, a 3-2 reverse against Villarreal CF.

Furthermore, should Los Blancos avoid defeat in the much-anticipated El Clasico, they will tie FC Barcelona’s longest unbeaten run of 43 league games between 2017 and 2018, this being the longest undefeated streak in LaLiga history.

AN ENTERTAINING MATCH-UP FEATURING WORLD-CLASS SCORERS

It might be early in the season, but El Clasico always delivers in terms of passion and highly entertaining football. As many as 29 goals have been scored in the last eight league derbies, which translates to an average of 3.6 goals per game.

FC Barcelona currently boast the best attack in LaLiga with 33 goals scored in 10 games, while Real Madrid have netted a second-highest 14 goals in five home games this season.

In fact, Saturday’s game will feature four of the league’s top five scorers – all of whom are expected to compete for the Pichichi Trophy this season. An extraordinary Robert Lewandowski leads all scorers with 12 goals, averaging 1.20 goals per match. He is followed by Real Madrid star signing Kylian Mbappe, who has netted six goals in his first nine league games.

An in-form Raphinha has recorded 10 goal contributions (five goals and five assists), while Ballon d’Or front-runner Vinícius has bagged five goals and four assists, with Kopa Trophy candidate Lamine Yamal having paired his four goals with a league-high six assists.

All the aforementioned players are expected to spearhead two star-studded teams that will take to the Bernabéu pitch full of desire and determined to win the first El Clasico of the season.