Real Madrid can pour more misery on a wounded Barcelona side this Sunday (May 11) and put themselves right back into La Liga title contention. Carlo Ancelotti's men make the trip to Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys for the fourth El Clasico of the season.
Four points separate the two sides heading into the clash and Los Blancos have the chance to close that gap to just a point. Barca are coming off a Champions League semi-final exit at the hands of Inter Milan and this could be the perfect timing to face Hansi Flick's Blaugrana.
Madrid's 3-2 win over Celta Vigo last time out means they are still fighting to move above Barca in the season's closing stages. This is the first of the four remaining games; three points are vital.
Here's our preview of Barcelona vs Real Madrid.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Preview, Prediction & Lineups
What time does Barcelona vs Real Madrid kick off?
Barcelona vs Real Madrid kicks off on Sunday 11 May at 15:15 BST.
- When is kick off? Sunday 11 May, 2025
- What time is kick off? 15:15 BST
- Where is it played? Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys, Catalonia, Spain
- Referee: Alejandro Hernandez Hernandez
Barcelona vs Real Madrid head-to-head record (last five games)
Date | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|
April 26, 2025 | Barcelona 3-2 Real Madrid (AET) | Copa del Rey |
January 12, 2025 | Real Madrid 2-5 Barcelona | Supercopa de Espana |
October 26, 2024 | Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona | La Liga |
April 21, 2024 | Real Madrid 3-2 Barcelona | La Liga |
January 14, 2024 | Real Madrid 4-1 Barcelona | Supercopa de Espana |
How to watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid on TV
Country | TV Channel / Live Stream |
|---|---|
United Kingdom | Premier Sports 1, LALIGATV |
United States | ESPN, ESPN+ and ESPN Deportes |
Canada | TSN |
Barcelona team news
Barcelona are licking their wounds following their 7-6 defeat on aggregate to Inter in the Champions League. Flick's side's gruelling tie went into extra-time and that may be a factor against a Madrid side who had the week off.
The Blaugrana are set to be without Jules Kounde, who picked up a hamstring injury in the first leg. The French defender could miss the rest of the season, but his Spanish teammate Inigo Martinez should be fit for Sunday despite coming off with a knock at the San Siro midweek.
Marc Bernal's ACL injury rules him out of the El Clasico and, that's likely to be the case for Marc Casado, although he's back in training and could be in with a shout. Alejandro Balde has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since mid-April but could return this weekend.
Predicted Barcelona lineup vs Real Madrid: Ter Stegen; Garcia, Martinez, Cubarsi, Martin; Pedri, De Jong; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha, Torres
Real Madrid team news
There's good news on the Rodrygo front for Madridstas as the Brazilian attacker is expected to have recovered from illness that saw him sit out the win over Celta. That's as good as it gets with regards to possible returns this Sunday.
Antonio Rudiger is serving a six-game ban for his off-the-field actions in the Copa del Rey final defeat to Barca. The German defender faces a lengthy spell out anyway after undergoing an operation on a meniscus tear in his left knee.
Eder Militao (ACL), Dani Carvajal (knee), Ferland Mendy (thigh) , David Alaba (knee) and Eduardo Camavinga (adductor) will play no part of El Clasico or the rest of the season. Los Blancos will hope to have most of themin fit for the start of the FIFA Club World Cup in mid-June.
Predicted Real Madrid lineup vs Barcelona: Courtois; Valverde, Tchouameni, Asencio, Garcia; Ceballos, Modric, Guler; Bellingham, Vinicius, Mbappe.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid prediction
The pressure is on Madrid to come away with three points to chase Barca down in a hotly-contested La Liga title race. A defeat to the Catalans could be all she wrote for Ancelotti's troops who still have Mallorca (May 14), Sevilla (May 18) and Real Sociedad (May 25) to come.
Can the visitors pounce on a beleaguered Blaugrana and move to within a point of the leaders? A win just doesn't feel likely given the injury toll and recent meetings between the two rivals.
That said, Madrid came to life in the second half of the Copa del Rey final, and if Ancelotti can implement a similar tactical plan on Sunday, there's hope of a point.
Prediction: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid