A game doused in Spanish royalty of two teams who may not dominate international headlines like they once did, are still happy to engage and dance under the spotlight of the football Gods!
To Win Match
Barcelona 23/20 | Draw 12/5 | Real Madrid 21/10
Barcelona
Barcelona continues to lead the chasing La Liga pack, their domestic form has been nothing short of brilliant when you consider last season and the uncertainty (around the club) off the pitch.
They have lost just once from their previous 16 domestic Spanish fixtures and when you consider that they haven’t been scoring freely by any stretch of the imagination – it’s a commendable defensive effort.
This is the sort of game they will want to win more than most though, a double over their fiercest rivals in as little as a fortnight (with one more to come in the Copa del Rey) is the sort of narrative this team needs.
You get the feeling that their on-field exploits are almost overshadowed by their off-field questions…this is the sort of game where a convincing effort realigns the focus!
Predicted Line-up: Ter Stegen, Balde, Christensen, Kounde, Roberto; Gavi, Busquets, De Jong, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Torres.
Real Madrid
The narrative around Real Madrid now seems to take their domestic performances for granted, almost to the point where they are only seen to be competing in Europe.
Personally, I think that couldn’t be further from the truth! They sit in second place in La Liga, a handful of points off Barcelona and whilst their performances have been marginally up and down – they’ve given a competitive account of themselves.
Their continental performances have largely followed the inconsistent model – but I don’t think it invalidates what they have managed to achieve. This is a club unbeaten in their last five league encounters, with an average scoreline of 10-2. I know that the media play a role in how we see the performances of clubs these days but lest we get led astray and forgo on vital potential earnings.
Los Blancos will know that this is the sort of game where a win – or indeed a positive display – has every possibility of translating into a momentum-building, confidence-inducing and awe-inspiring run of form!
Predicted Line-up: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Nacho, Camavinga, Kroos, Tchouameni, Modric, Valverde, Rodrygo, Vinicius.
Verdict: Draw (12/5)
There won’t be much to split these two teams, there hasn’t been in fairness all season! In truth, the usual flair and attacking expansion these two sides made famous has been absent from their current seasons.
I see this being tough and hard-fought – but I can’t see a winner.
