Opinions, analysis and commentary
Barcelona can contain Kylian Mbappé only if a makeshift back four holds its shape and Rodri and Pedri screen it well. García is sidelined, Christensen cannot play, and Koundé is a serious doubt, so Hansi Flick must patch together a thin defensive group while Mbappé comes in on nine league goals. Barcelona are six points clear at the top after nine wins from nine league games, and the game starts at Camp Nou on Sunday at 20:00 GMT, or 2:00 am on Monday in Bangladesh.
Barcelona’s league numbers look spotless: nine wins, 39 goals scored and only nine conceded, which gives them a six-point lead and a goal difference of plus 30. Tuesday told a different story, with Paris Saint-Germain winning 4-2 and exposing how brittle the back line has become. Real Madrid, on 21 points in third, beat Sevilla 4-1, and Atlético Madrid sit second on 22.
History leans Flick’s way. Barcelona have taken six of the previous seven Clásicos while he has been in charge, including a 2-0 victory at Camp Nou in May, and across the last five meetings they hold a four-to-one edge, with Madrid’s lone win a 2-1 in October 2025. This will be the first Clásico José Mourinho has managed since his return.
A thigh injury sidelines Eric García for between three and four weeks, while Andreas Christensen is simply not available. Jules Koundé, absent against PSG with an ankle sprain, is a doubt. With Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín the sole fit centre-backs, Flick has run out of conventional options.
The expected back four is João Cancelo, Xavi Espart, Cubarsí and Martín, an unfamiliar combination for a game of this size. The table below sets out their records, and Espart’s duel success of 51.5% is the lowest of the three who can play. Cubarsí, with 70.6% of duels won across six games, is the one defender who looks comfortable, and Martín leads the group with five interceptions.
| Defender | Matches Played | Duels Won (%) | Interceptions | Status |
| Pau Cubarsí | 6 | 70.6% | 2 | Available |
| Gerard Martín | 8 | 58.0% | 5 | Available |
| Xavi Espart | 7 | 51.5% | 4 | Available |
| Eric García | 8 | 61.2% | 4 | Out (Injured) |
| Andreas Christensen | 6 | 55.4% | 4 | Out (Injured) |
| Jules Koundé | 6 | 62.0% | 2 | Doubt (Injured) |
Over nine league appearances, Mbappé has produced nine goals and two assists, taking 49 shots, 27 of them on target, and creating 13 chances, a return of one goal per league game. Two of those goals came against Sevilla last Sunday. His record against Barcelona is also strong at 12 career goals, among them a hat-trick in May 2025 in a game Madrid lost 4-3.
Madrid are likely to defend deep and hit on the counter, a plan that fits a runner like him. The Sevilla game offered a preview, when Yan Diomande slipped a pass in behind, and Mbappé won a penalty. Madrid’s chance-creation leader is Arda Güler, on 31, yet Mbappé has banked three times as many league goals as Jude Bellingham, who is second among his teammates.
Rodri joined from Manchester City and was taken off around the hour mark against PSG, although no injury has been reported. The expectation is that he lines up beside Pedri on Sunday.
The pair have to protect a patched-up defence that conceded four to PSG on Tuesday, a result that reopened old doubts about Barcelona’s defending. Winning the ball early and breaking Madrid’s counters at source would spare the makeshift centre-backs from facing Mbappé one-on-one.
A red card against Villarreal has put Vinícius out for four league games, and he has found the net just once this season, so the Clásico is only the second of four matches he misses. Diomande is the likely replacement. Long-term injuries keep Rodrygo and Raúl Asensio out, and Ferland Mendy is a doubt.
Mourinho’s likely eleven features Courtois in goal, Valverde or Dumfries on the right, Konaté, Huijsen and Cucurella in defence and Güler with Tchouaméni in midfield. With Mbappé as the lone runner in behind, the El Clásico 2026 Barcelona defence-Mbappé battle looks like the key to Sunday evening.
Can Barcelona’s makeshift back four survive Mbappé at Camp Nou, or will Madrid punish them? Tell us what you think in the comments.
Which Barcelona players are injured before El Clásico?
Eric García, Christensen, and Dani Olmo are all out. García is expected to miss three to four weeks and Olmo about a month, while Koundé is a major doubt.
Will Vinícius play against Barcelona on Sunday?
No, Vinícius is suspended for the Clásico. His four-match ban began with the Sevilla game, and it will also cost him the league matches against Racing Santander and Valencia after the trip to Camp Nou.
What time does El Clásico kick off on Sunday?
Kick-off is at 20:00 GMT on Sunday 25 October, with the game played at Spotify Camp Nou. That equals 21:00 CET, or 2:00 am on Monday for fans in Bangladesh.
Is Rodri fit to face Real Madrid on Sunday?
Yes, Rodri is expected to start in midfield. He came off roughly an hour into Tuesday’s PSG game, but no injury has been reported since, and he should partner Pedri.
Who is favoured to win Barcelona against Real Madrid?
Barcelona start as favourites at home, although their thin defence is the main risk. Predictions lean towards home wins by scores such as 3-1 or 4-2, which suggests plenty of goals at Camp Nou.
football
football