That means there are several fascinating individual duels every time these two clubs lock horns. As Los Azulgranas and Los Blancos meet for a fourth time this season, and with Barça having won the previous three meetings, let’s take a closer look at five of these individual battles.
Wojciech Szczęsny vs Kylian Mbappé
Without a doubt, Kylian Mbappé will be one to watch in this ELCLASICO. The Frenchman is in great form, with seven goals across his past six LALIGA EA SPORTS appearances, and is now just one goal behind Robert Lewandowski in the race to be crowned Pichichi of this season.
The entire FC Barcelona starting line-up will be tasked with trying to stop Mbappé on Sunday, but goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny will be the final obstacle between the striker and the net.
And, Mbappé has already given Szczęsny headaches so far this season. In the Spanish Super Cup final, the forward scored the opener and then it was his run that caused the Polish goalkeeper to leave his area and commit a last-man foul, resulting in a red card.
Then, in the Copa del Rey final, Mbappé found a gap in Szczęsny’s wall at a freekick to fire the ball into the bottom corner. Barça still won both those games, but Szczęsny might need to be more alert this time around.
Pedri vs Fede Valverde
Both these clubs pride themselves on having some of the best midfielders in the world, something that has long been the case at FC Barcelona and at Real Madrid. Right now, two of the footballers commanding these clubs’ midfields are Pedri and Fede Valverde. So, their individual tussle in the centre of the pitch will be both fascinating and crucial to this ELCLASICO.
Real Madrid legend Toni Kroos recently described Pedri – who just won the April Player of the Month prize in LALIGA EA SPORTS – as the best player in his position right now in world football.
Valverde, even if his versatility means he doesn’t always play in midfield, will be determined to prove to his former teammate that he too should be considered for such an honour.
Iñigo Martínez and Pau Cubarsí vs Jude Bellingham
This will be the first ELCLASICO at the Estadi Olímpic since October of 2023, when Jude Bellingham stole the show by scoring two brilliant goals late on, sealing a 2-1 Real Madrid victory. That’s just one example of how the Englishman has consistently turned up in big moments for Los Blancos, using his positional awareness to get forward and pounce in the opposition penalty area.
As such, FC Barcelona’s defence will want to pay close attention to Bellingham in this ELCLASICO. Iñigo Martínez and Pau Cubarsí have formed a solid partnership in the centre of the back line, and they’ve started together in all three of the previous wins over Real Madrid this season, playing the offside trap brilliantly.
This, then, is a duel that has been going on all season, but once again Martínez and Cubarsí vs Bellingham is a battle worth paying attention too.
Lamine Yamal vs Fran García
At the other end of the pitch, the Real Madrid back line will be paying very close attention to Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old who is already considered one of the very best players in world football. The winger is in superb form, and that could be a problem for Fran García, the player who looks most likely to start at left-back for Real Madrid in this game.
With Real Madrid having suffered so many injuries, especially in defence, Fran García looks set to make his first start in ELCLASICO and he’ll give his everything to try to keep the explosive Lamine Yamal quiet.
He did a decent job after coming on for the injured Ferland Mendy in the Copa del Rey final, but this will be another step up on the road and with the LALIGA EA SPORTS title on the line.
Hansi Flick vs Carlo Ancelotti
There are several other interesting player duels to ponder, from how Vinícius and Raphinha could trouble whichever right-back they each go up against to the damage Pichichi leader Robert Lewandowski could cause if he is fit enough to play the full 90 minutes. But, let’s focus in on a different kind of duel as our fifth and final entry – the duel of the dugouts.
Both in their 60s, Hansi Flick and Carlo Ancelotti are two of the most experienced coaches around, and they’ve seen it all, as players, as assistants or as head coaches. Curiously, they had never had a head-to-head tactical tussle until this season, and so far Flick has won all three of his meetings with the Italian.
FC Barcelona have won 4-0, 5-2 and 3-2 (after extra time) across the three ELCLASICO contests so far in 2024/25, but it’s true that the margin of victory has grown smaller each time. Perhaps Ancelotti is working out how to decipher Flick’s tactics. We’ll find out on Sunday if the Italian can finally get the better of his German counterpart.