Tonight, Spanish football’s greatest rivalry takes center stage as Real Madrid hosts Barcelona in a highly anticipated El Clasico at the Bernabeu.
Also Read: Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, El Clásico Showdown at the Bernabeu
Real Madrid’s recent signing, Kylian Mbappe, will experience his first taste of the iconic fixture, having already netted eight goals in his debut season under Carlo Ancelotti.
With Barcelona just three points clear atop La Liga, both teams are in top form following impressive Champions League performances—Real Madrid mounted a comeback to rout Borussia Dortmund, while Barcelona stunned Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany.
How to Watch Real Madrid vs Barcelona in the UK
For UK fans, the El Clasico showdown will be aired live on Premier Sports. Subscribers can tune in for £7.99 per month, with kick-off scheduled for 8 p.m. UK time.
Premier Sports 1, formerly Viaplay Sports 1, is available on channel 419 for Sky TV users, while Premier Sports 2 is on channel 420.
Team News and Predicted Lineups
Real Madrid faces a double blow with injuries ruling out goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and forward Rodrygo.
England star Jude Bellingham might move forward to cover for Rodrygo’s absence, with Andriy Lunin stepping in as goalkeeper.
Defenders David Alaba and Dani Carvajal are also unavailable, though Aurélien Tchouameni has recovered from injury and may start after his return in the 5-2 Champions League victory over Dortmund.
Barcelona will also be missing key players. Long-term absentees Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Andreas Christensen, and Ronald Araujo are still out, though star midfielder Gavi recently returned after a year-long ACL injury and featured in Barcelona’s 5-1 victory over Sevilla.
Predicted Starting XI
Real Madrid
Lunin; Vazquez, Militao, Rudiger, Mendy; Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde; Bellingham, Mbappe, Vinicius Jr.
Barcelona
Pena; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martinez, Balde; Casado, Pedri, Fermin; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha.
The stage is set for another legendary El Clasico, as La Liga’s fiercest rivals fight for supremacy in what promises to be a gripping showdown.
La liga did this last season to favor Real Madrid and have shifted the date backwards again this time Barca will win the match