La Liga: Exciting El-Clasico clash approaches

This weekend’s top-of-the-table Clasico clash is the pick of the bunch as Hansi Flick’s side will aim to keep their three-point cushion at the summit of the table at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday.

The two giants are entering the contest on the back of massive performances, incidentally, against German top sides, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side beating Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in the Champions League on Tuesday having trailed 2-0 at the break, while the free scoring Barcelona hammered Bayern Munich at the Olympic Stadium 4-1 twenty-four hours after.

The Los Blancos are close to equalling Barcelona’s record of 43 La Liga games unbeaten (W31, D11) after celebrating Ancelotti’s 200th league game in charge with a 2-1 win over Celta Vigo last weekend. 

Also, this Clasico is the Italian’s 17th. But for Hansi Flick, this will be Hansi Flick’s first experience of Spain’s biggest derby since his appointment as Barca boss in the summer. 

While Real Madrid coaching crew has been able to integrate Kylian Mbappe to the side, Jude Bellingham’s numbers in terms of goals and assists have dropped, but generally, it has been an electric start to the campaign, and a victory on Saturday will see them equal Barca’s points on the log.

For Barca, their form is more incredible given the number of injury crises they’ve had to make do with early in the season. 

The team has won nine of their 10 league matches to collect 27 points, a form that has ensured they lead the pack with three points and they are comfortably the leading scorers in Spain’s top flight this term with 33, averaging over three goals per game.

In addition, Flick’s side has won their last four matches across all competitions, including a 5-1 success over Sevilla in La Liga last weekend.

As Saturday’s hosts will count on the expertise of Vinicius Junior and his cohorts, Barcelona will have Raphinha – who scored a hat trick in the 4-1 demolition of Bayern Munich on Wednesday night on one hand, while Lamine Yamal will work down Real’s left side of the backline on the other hand.

And with the Catalans’ players starting to return to fitness, the signs are very positive for Barcelona, who will follow El Clasico with the Catalan derby against Espanyol.