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They can, because the suspension takes less from them than it seems to. This season Vinícius has produced a single goal and three assists, while Mbappé, Bellingham and Güler carry the scoring, and Madrid have won four in a row in all competitions. Barcelona host them on Sunday 25 October, unbeaten and six points clear after nine games, yet they shipped four at PSG on 20 October. Victory at Camp Nou would cut that gap to three points and put real pressure on the leaders.
José Mourinho has been Madrid’s head coach since 11 June, and his team sit third with 21 points. Barcelona lead with 27 after winning every one of their nine games, while Atlético Madrid hold second place on 22. Madrid’s two defeats, to Atlético and Betis, account for most of the deficit.
Defence is not what separates the sides, because each has conceded nine league goals so far. The difference sits in attack, where Barcelona have scored 39 times against Madrid’s 23. Beating them on Sunday would trim the lead to three points, and that would make the chase feel real rather than theoretical. Anything less leaves Madrid waiting for slips elsewhere.
| Team | League Points | Goals Scored | Goals Conceded | Top Scorer |
| Barcelona | 27 | 39 | 9 | Raphinha (12) |
| Real Madrid | 21 | 23 | 9 | Mbappé (9) |
Vinícius was dismissed against Villarreal for tugging Nathan Saliba’s hair, then reacted aggressively towards the referee. The appeal failed, so the four-match suspension stands and runs across Sevilla, Barcelona, Racing and Valencia. Madrid must also cope without Rodrygo and Raúl Asencio, who are both unavailable.
Ferland Mendy has been omitted from the squad, while Antonio Rüdiger and Éder Militão are available at the back. In attack, Yan Diomande looks the likeliest option to join Güler and Bellingham in support of Mbappé. Mourinho has not named his team, so that plan could still change before kick-off.
The suspension does not strip Madrid of a scoring engine, because Vinícius has contributed just a single goal and three assists in this campaign, which is a modest return for a forward of his reputation. Mbappé leads the way with nine goals and two assists, Bellingham has three goals and three assists, and Güler has two of each. Put together, those three outweigh the single goal Vinícius has managed by a distance.
On 18 October, Madrid beat Sevilla 4-1 with goals from both Güler and Mbappé. That result stretched a winning run to four games in all competitions, taking in a 4-3 away win at Roma and a 4-1 victory over RB Leipzig. Scoring is coming from several sources at once, so a missing wide forward hurts less than a missing striker would.
PSG beat Barcelona 4-2 on 20 October. Lamine Yamal lost the ball in his own half, and the opening goal followed from it. Barcelona then drew level at 2-2, only to concede two more late on. For a side with nine wins from nine, it was a loud warning about how they cope when a match turns open.
Their last five games in all competitions brought 17 goals for and eight against, which is a leaky ratio for a side that has not lost in the league. Their opponents in that stretch were Sevilla, Getafe, Galatasaray, Betis and PSG, who scored 1, 0, 1, 2 and 4 respectively. Roony Bardghji and Andreas Christensen are out, as are Dani Olmo and Eric García, while Jules Koundé is a doubtful starter.
Barcelona took four of the previous five meetings, scoring 13 goals to Madrid’s nine across them. Madrid’s one success was a 2-1 league win in October 2025. Barcelona won the other four: a 4-3 result in May 2025, a 3-2 Copa del Rey final that April, a 3-2 Super Cup meeting in January and a 2-0 win last May.
A 2-2 draw is plausible, and Madrid would stay close enough to keep the pressure on the table-toppers. Any result short of a Barcelona win keeps the title race alive, which is why the Real Madrid El Clásico La Liga Vinícius Júnior argument matters well beyond one Sunday night.
Can Mourinho’s side win at Camp Nou without Vinícius, or does Barcelona’s form still decide it? Tell us in the comments.
What did Vinicius Junior do to earn his four-match ban?
He was sent off against Villarreal for pulling a player’s hair and reacting angrily to the referee. The suspension survived an appeal and includes the Barcelona game on 25 October.
Who is likely to start in Vinicius Junior’s place for Madrid?
Yan Diomande is the likeliest replacement, with Güler and Bellingham supporting Mbappé. The XI is unannounced, so Mourinho could still change the plan before kick-off.
How big is Barcelona’s La Liga lead over Real Madrid?
Barcelona are six points ahead. They have 27 from nine wins, and Madrid have 21 after the same number of games, so victory on Sunday would cut the gap to three.
Who manages Real Madrid this season?
José Mourinho is in charge. He is back for a second stint at the club, appointed on 11 June 2026, and his side currently sit third in the league table.
What time is the Barcelona v Real Madrid Clasico kick-off?
It starts at 9:00 pm in Spain on Sunday 25 October, at Barcelona’s Spotify Camp Nou home. That is 8:00 pm in the UK and 2:00 am on Monday in Bangladesh.
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