Real Madrid are hoping to stop a third straight La Liga title from going to bitter rivals Barcelona when the two meet in the season's first Clásico on Sunday, live on ABC and ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET. Barcelona are very much the team to beat in Spain this season as they bid to become the first side to win three titles in a row since Pep Guardiola's side did so between 2008 and 2011. With stars like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and Rodri, they will be hard to stop.
Madrid's run of two seasons without a major trophy led them to bring back José Mourinho, 13 years after he was fired. They will be without the suspended Vinícius Júnior for the trip to Camp Nou, but with Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham in attack and Mourinho pulling the strings, they cannot be discounted. The two clubs have won 106 of their 264 competitive Clásicos, making their rivalry one of the most evenly matched in football history.
Flick's arrival at Barcelona two years ago has turned the tide, with Barça winning six of the seven Clásicos under the former Bayern Munich boss and drawing level in the all-time head-to-head record last time out. Mourinho's mixed record against Barça during his first spell at Madrid, two wins, four draws and five defeats, leaves him hoping to end this run.
Barcelona have started the season with 11 straight wins, averaging over four goals per match, though they lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday and showed familiar defensive vulnerabilities. Madrid, meanwhile, remain a work in progress and sit six points behind Barcelona in the table after losses to Real Betis and Atlético Madrid.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing