Undefeated in their last five games, Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off at the Santiago Bernabeu for the third Clasico of the 2021/22 campaign knowing that this will be the most fiery one of the season. Barça started the season slowly but have found their groove over the past month under new manager Xavi, who has his team playing the kind of exciting, high-scoring football that this fanbase craves.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid broke out of a slump to batter Real Sociedad at the Bernabeu, crush PSG in a Champions League Remontada for the ages, and outlast Mallorca this past Monday night at the Iberostar stadium. Los Blancos gave up just two goals in those three games and scored a whopping 10 of their own.
Let’s take a look how Los Merengues could line up against Barcelona this Sunday night at the Bernabeu. They have won five Clasicos in a row, but Madridistas know this one will not be easy. Clasicos rarely are.
GK Thibaut Courtois
Thibaut Courtois was a hero in the first Clasico of the season in LaLiga and will be important again this Sunday. Arguably the best goalkeeper in the world, Courtois is aiming for another Zamora Trophy.
LB Nacho Fernandez
Ferland Mendy is likely out with an injury, so Real Madrid must start Nacho at left back again. While he struggled in this position to start the season, he was excellent against PSG. That said, he was not tested much in that game. Nacho at left back must be disciplined defensively, and while his lack of offensive output will put more stress on Vinicius Jr., it is more important for him to focus on defense, especially against this electric Barcelona side.
CB David Alaba
David Alaba scored a fantastic solo goal for his first in Royal White colors, and that goal was decisive in Real Madrid defeating Barcelona in El Clasico at the Camp Nou. The new No. 4 in Madrid has been world-class this season, re-establishing himself as one of the top five center backs in European football, which was a distinction he held in 2019/20 when he won his second treble with Bayern Munich.
CB Eder Militao
Meanwhile, the more active and younger Eder Militao has been at least as good on the right side of the defense. He will be massive against Barcelona’s fluid, mobile attack, which interchanges and runs in behind to a degree some may not have expected under Xavi. He has this attack flying on all cylinders, and Militao must be a cerebral assassin (insert Triple H spitting water GIF) in order to counter La Blaugrana’s forward line.
RB Dani Carvajal
A hit-or-miss player, Dani Carvajal could make the difference for Real Madrid on Sunday night at the Bernabeu. If he plays to his level, Los Blancos are the favorites. If he is lethargic and makes mental lapses on either end, then Barcelona could be celebrating a return to being kings of El Clasico – on Madrid turf, no less.