Real Madrid will face FC Barcelona for the second Clasico of the 2019-2020 season on Sunday, and here are five players on La Blaugrana to watch closely.
After dropping points in their last two La Liga contests and falling 2-1 to Manchester City at mid-week in the Champions League after a late meltdown, Real Madrid are no longer the favorites at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday for the 2019-2020 campaign’s second Clasico.
While Real outplayed Barca in December at Camp Nou, they failed to put the ball in the back of the net and had to settle for a 0-0 draw. Real’s struggles with finishing chances continues to be the story in the second half of the season, and Eden Hazard‘s injury and Karim Benzema‘s shocking slump haven’t helped matters.
This Clasico could easily decide the title, and while Real Madrid have a real shot at grabbing all three points, they’ll need to watch out for these five Barcelona players if they want to claim all the spoils in front of their fans.
CB Gerard Pique
Excellent in the first Clasico this winter, Gerard Pique should have a big say in the Mar. 1 battle at the Bernabeu, too. Pique’s leadership at the heart of Barcelona’s defense and steady passing mean everything to the Blaugrana, and he could help Barca keep Karim Benzema in check.
This season, Pique hasn’t been lighting up the stat sheet in tackles and interceptions, but his steady and smart play have kept Barca in the title race despite some low points. He’s so good at dealing with dangerous passes and keep calm under pressure, which bodes well against the likes of Benzema and Isco.