Although it’s unclear if Real Madrid will face Barcelona on Dec. 4 or 18 due to an impending lawsuit from La Liga, it looks like Los Blancos stand to benefit the most from El Clasico’s postponement.
It has not been an ideal return from the international break for Real Madrid. After starting October with a 2-2 draw to Club Brugge, Real managed to pick up a 4-2 win over Granada at the Santiago Bernabeu, entrenching their spot atop La Liga.
That security in first did not last long, because Real lost their first match after the international break in what was supposed to be a “give me” win against newly-promoted Mallorca. But Zinedine Zidane’s heavily-rotated Real side flopped badly, losing 1-0 without so much as a whimper on the attacking end.
It was very nearly the same story on Tuesday for Los Blancos on the road against Galatasaray. But this time, Real managed to secure the points, winning their first Champions League game, courtesy of an 18th-minute strike from the returning Toni Kroos. However, this win was far from a professional one for Zidane’s side, leading to even more concerns revolving around the three-time Champions League-winning manager.
As you can see, Real Madrid are reeling. And while they aren’t in a crisis, that hasn’t stopped fans from bordering on panic following two poor performances, including that unacceptable loss to relegation candidates Mallorca.
Based on the preseason schedule, Real were supposed to face Barcelona in a high-octane clash between La Liga’s top two teams on Saturday, but protests in Catalunya have forced the rivalry to take place in December. Depending on how La Liga’s challenge of the agreed date goes, it looks like Real and Barca could be facing off on Dec. 18.
When the rumors that El Clasico could be pushed back first surfaced, it was unclear which team would benefit the most from the change. While Barcelona themselves are coming off of an unconvincing Champions League win over Slavia Praha, they are first in La Liga, have more individual quality than Real, and look to be playing the better football right now.
That said, it’s important not to underestimate the collection of talent in Real, specifically rising young stars like Fede Valverde in midfield and Rodrygo on the left (or right) flank. These two players have emerged as X-Factor for Real this season, and by December, they could be key components of the starting lineup. Valverde and summer left back signing Ferland Mendy already look like ideal starters for Los Blancos.
With so many new signings and with a few young players needing to earn Zidane’s trust, Real, who are notorious to slow starts, have always looked like a team destined to be stronger in the winter than in the autumn months.
Therefore, moving this pivotal fixture to December helps Real, beyond the fact that it gives them some weeks to “get things right” after up-and-down results in September and October.
This is a Real Madrid side that is still trying to figure things out in Zidane’s second stint as manager, and as discouraging as their on-field performances against Mallorca and Galatasaray have been, they are honestly on the cusp of figuring things out. Their young stars will be key in this effort.
Beyond that, Real have been constantly hurt by injuries early in the season, which has the added effect of preventing Zidane and the players from finding their optimal lineup and chemistry. By December, the likes of Luka Modric and Gareth Bale will be back, and other key players like Mendy and Isco will be 100-percent.
Of course, the unfortunate reality is that some other players may be injured by then, but it’s hard to see this injury crisis getting even worse for Real than it was in the first three months of the 2019-2020 campaign.