BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Real Madrid and a passionate team Kylian Mbappe On Sunday, hosts Barcelona will be looking to hit back at their rivals, who lost all four Clasicos last season.
Mbappe has scored a La Liga-leading 10 goals in matchday nine, four more than his nearest pursuer, but he has scored a further five goals in the Champions League in the first two months of the season.
Barcelona arrive at the Santiago Bernabéu with injury concerns in attack, with manager Hansi Flick heading to his box seat at the stadium. he saw the red card for protests in the final round.
Lamine Yamal will start for the visiting team, having played two games since returning from a lingering groin injury. but Robert Lewandowski excluded Barcelona has a hamstring injury and forward Rafinha is doubtful.
key match
All eyes will be on the first Clasico of the season to see if new coach Xabi Alonso can break Madrid out of its rut with Barcelona.
Barcelona dominated the Clasico quarter Last season, the team had a combined score of 16 wins and 7 losses in all competitions.
Barcelona got off to a good start with a 4-0 win in the first round of La Liga in Madrid. They then won 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup, 3-2 in the Copa del Rey final and 4-3 in La Liga.
Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said: “Last year they finished well. We have to be more crisp up front and try to stop that firepower.”
Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 on Wednesday with a goal from Jude Bellingham, but Alonso’s side were hit by injuries. 5-0 humiliation by Atlético Madrid Even in another big La Liga match last month.
Barcelona will arrive then They won 6-1 against Olympiakos. Midfielder Fermin López scored a hat-trick and Marcus Rashford added two more goals.
Madrid are at the top of the Spanish league with a two-point lead over defending champion Barcelona.
Villarreal in 3rd place and Atlético in 4th place will aim to close the gap with the top. Villarreal play Valencia on Saturday, while Atlético face fifth-placed Real Betis on Monday, with both teams tied on points.
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In addition to Lewandowski, Barcelona’s midfielder Dani Olmo and goalkeeper João Garcia are both injured. Wojciech Szczesny enters the goal.
Flick said last week that he expected Rafinha to recover from his leg injury in time for the game. Ferran Torres was in Barcelona’s squad for the match against Olympiakos, but did not leave the bench after recently being sidelined with a foot problem.
Madrid will be without defenders Trent Alexander-Arnold and Antonio Rudiger due to injuries.
Featured players
Rashford is in a strong position to start up front for Barcelona alongside Yamal. The on-loan English forward has scored six goals since joining from Manchester United.
Pau Kvarsi will be in the starting lineup of Barcelona’s defense. Eric García or Ronald Araujo, both 18, will be tasked with slowing down Mbappe.
“Everyone knows how talented[Mbappe]is, and all of our players are world-class,” Kvarsi said. “But we have to focus on our game.”
Arda Güler has emerged as Madrid’s biggest surprise, filling the void left by the departures of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric over the past two summers. The 20-year-old Turkish midfielder has provided five assists and scored three goals in all competitions this season.
off the field
Clasico brings La Liga’s lament collapse of plans The regular season match between Barcelona and Villarreal will be held in Miami next month.
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