Madrid, Spain – In a highly anticipated clash, Real Madrid and Barcelona faced off at the Santiago Bernabéu today in the first El Clásico of the La Liga season. The match carried significant weight, with Real Madrid looking to extend their lead at the top of the table and Barcelona aiming to leapfrog their rivals.
Real Madrid entered the match as league leaders with 24 points, having won eight of their nine matches, their only loss coming against Atletico Madrid. Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, sat in second place with 22 points, boasting seven wins, one draw, and one loss.
The match kicked off at 4:15 PM local time. Real Madrid, under the guidance of Xabi Alonso, aimed to break their four-game losing streak against Barcelona. Barcelona had dominated recent Clásicos, including a domestic treble last season with two La Liga victories and wins in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals against Real Madrid.
The starting lineups featured key players, with Kylian Mbappé leading the line for Real Madrid and Marcus Rashford, in his first Clásico, starting for Barcelona. Real Madrid's lineup included Courtois in goal; a defense of Valverde, Militão, Huijsen, and Carreras; a midfield of Tchouameni and Camavinga; and an attacking quartet of Guler, Bellingham, and Vinícius supporting Mbappé. Barcelona countered with Szczesny in goal; Koundé, Cubarsí, García, and Baldé in defense; Pedri and De Jong in midfield; and Lamine Yamal, López, Rashford, and Torres in attack.
Injuries plagued both squads coming into the match. Real Madrid was without Antonio Rüdiger and David Alaba, while Barcelona missed Raphinha, Dani Olmo, Robert Lewandowski, Gavi, Joan García, and Marc-André ter Stegen. Despite these absences, both teams fielded strong lineups capable of delivering a thrilling encounter.
The atmosphere at the Santiago Bernabéu was electric, with fans eager to witness the latest chapter in this historic rivalry. The game was broadcast globally, with various networks providing coverage.
Real Madrid's Xabi Alonso opted for a 4-3-1-2 formation with the ball and a 4-4-2 without it, with Bellingham positioned on the left to help Carreras in defense.
The last Clásico played at the Santiago Bernabéu in La Liga saw Barcelona emerge victorious with a 4-0 win, with goals from Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Raphinha. Overall, El Clásico has been played 261 times, with Real Madrid winning 105 matches and Barcelona winning 104.
This season's first El Clásico promised drama, passion, and world-class football as both teams battled for supremacy in La Liga.
