The final El Clasico of this season is set to be a pivotal match in the La Liga title race. With just four points separating Barcelona and Real Madrid and only four games left to play, the stakes are incredibly high.
Barcelona might be considered the favorites based on their performance in previous Clasicos this term, having defeated Real Madrid three times and holding a significant 12-4 scoring advantage over their rivals in those matches. However, their recent dramatic 7-6 aggregate loss to Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday raises questions about their ability to bounce back quickly, especially in a match of this magnitude.
Adding another layer of complexity, neither team will be at full strength. Real Madrid will be without Antonio Rudiger, who is serving a six-match ban following an incident involving the referee at the end of the Copa del Rey final. For Barcelona, Robert Lewandowski is not expected to be fully fit as he returns from a short-term injury, and Alejandro Balde is also dealing with fitness issues.
Match Details & Odds
- Date: Sunday, May 11 | Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
- Location: Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys — Barcelona, Spain
- TV: ESPN | Live stream: Fubo
- Odds: Barcelona -110; Draw +300; Real Madrid +240
Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Saturday, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick commented on the fitness of some players:
`As starters, I don`t think the moment is right for them [Lewandowski, Balde],` Flick said. `Ferran [Torres] in attack and Gerard [Martin] at left-back are doing very good. When you see Gerard, how he`s playing in a semifinal of the Champions League, it`s really great. [Marc] Casado is also available. But we have to take care. We have three more league matches after Madrid. Tomorrow is more for them to come on in the second half.`
This scenario presents both managers with significant tactical decisions as they battle for the top spot in La Liga.
Here is a look at the predicted starting lineups for the final Clasico of the season:
Predicted Lineups
Barcelona: Wojciech Szczesny, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Gerard Martin, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha, Ferran Torres
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vazquez, Aurelien Tchouameni, Raul Asencio, Fran Garcia, Dani Ceballos, Federico Valverde, Rodrygo, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe
