BARCELONA, Oct 22: Barcelona will look to strengthen their early grip on the La Liga title race when they host arch-rivals Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the 2026-27 season on Sunday, with both sides facing important selection decisions ahead of the high-profile encounter.
Barcelona have made a perfect start to their title defence, winning all nine of their opening league matches. Despite suffering a late defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League in midweek, Hansi Flick’s side will head into the contest with confidence and the opportunity to put further distance between themselves and their closest rivals.
A victory would allow Barcelona to open up a nine-point advantage over Real Madrid, making the contest particularly significant at this early stage of the campaign.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, will be eager to prevent their rivals from establishing such a commanding position. Jose Mourinho’s side have already suffered two notable setbacks this season, losing 1-0 away to Real Betis in Week Four before going down 2-1 in the Madrid derby on September 20.
With another difficult away fixture looming, Mourinho will need to find the right balance in his starting XI to ensure his side can compete with Barcelona’s attacking threat. Real Madrid also have one fewer day of rest after playing their Champions League fixture on Wednesday, compared with Barcelona’s Tuesday outing.
Flick faces selection decisions
Barcelona’s predicted line-up remains difficult to determine, with Flick having regularly rotated his players and altered their positions during the opening weeks of the season.
Joao Cancelo’s versatility has given the Barcelona manager several options across both flanks, allowing him to adjust his defensive combinations depending on the opposition. His deployment could influence the roles of Eric Garcia, Jules Kounde and Xavi Espart.
Goalkeeper Joan Garcia and forward Lamine Yamal appear among the strongest candidates to start, while midfielder Pedri and defender Pau Cubarsi are also expected to feature prominently in Flick’s plans.
Barcelona’s substitutions during the Champions League fixture could offer clues about the manager’s thinking ahead of Sunday. Several players, including Rodri, Gavi and Karim Adeyemi, were withdrawn around the 60-minute mark, potentially with the Clasico in mind.
Raphinha and Pedri were also substituted at a similar stage, suggesting that managing workloads ahead of the meeting with Real Madrid may have been a consideration.
Barcelona’s predicted line-up is Joan Garcia in goal, with Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin and Cancelo forming the defensive unit. Rodri and Pedri are expected to operate in midfield, while Yamal, Fermin Lopez and Anthony Gordon could support Raphinha in attack.However, Flick’s recent rotation means the final selection could differ, particularly in defence and midfield.
Mourinho must cope without Vinicius
Real Madrid’s team selection will also be shaped by suspensions and injuries. Vinicius Junior is suspended and will miss Sunday’s encounter, depriving Mourinho of one of his most dangerous attacking options.
Ferland Mendy, Raul Asencio and Rodrygo are also unavailable because of longer-term injuries, further limiting the manager’s choices.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, forward Kylian Mbappe and midfielder Federico Valverde have started every match during Mourinho’s early spell in charge, underlining their importance to the team.
Defender Ibrahim Konate has also featured regularly, while Jude Bellingham, Marc Cucurella and Yan Diomande have appeared in all 11 matches.
Cucurella could be an option against his former club, while Denzel Dumfries, Antonio Rudiger and Eduardo Camavinga are among those who could push for starting places.Real Madrid are predicted to line up with Courtois in goal and Valverde, Konate, Dean Huijsen and Cucurella in defence. Arda Guler and Aurelien Tchouameni could form the midfield pairing, with Endrick, Bellingham and Diomande operating behind Mbappe as the central striker.
The absence of Vinicius could place additional responsibility on Mbappe and Bellingham to provide the decisive moments in attack. Real Madrid will also need to remain organised defensively to contain Yamal and Barcelona’s movement in the final third.
A crucial early-season test
Although the campaign is still in its early stages, Sunday’s Clasico could have a significant bearing on the title race.
Barcelona have the advantage of home support and a perfect league record, while Real Madrid will be motivated to halt their rivals’ momentum.
For Flick, the challenge will be to maintain Barcelona’s attacking effectiveness while managing the demands of a congested schedule. Mourinho, meanwhile, must find a way to compensate for key absences and ensure his side avoid another damaging away defeat. (Agencies)