Real Madrid and Barcelona will face off against each other on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu, writing the latest chapter in their long-running rivalry.
The stakes in the first El Clasico of the season are at an all-time high as both teams compete for supremacy.
Barcelona enters this match off a 3-3 tie with Inter Milan, a result that left their chances of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages dangling by a thread.
Thus, Xavi will be attempting to intimidate his detractors.
While Thibaut Courtois is out injured, Los Blancos managed a 1-1 draw with Shakhtar Donetsk in the UCL midweek.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti will be hoping his team can stave off players like Robert Lewandowski, who has been on a scorching scoring streak.
When these two clubs last met, it was in a friendly match played in the United States, and Barca prevailed 1-0 against their enduring foes.
When is El Clasico?
On Sunday, Real Madrid and Barcelona will play at the Bernabeu in a top-of-the-table matchup (16 October).
This season’s first league encounter between the two Spanish superpowers will take place there.
In addition to winning 4-0 in March, Xavi’s team defeated Ancelotti’s squad in a friendly during the offseason. Fans should expect a tantalising match as a result.
What Time is Kick-Off?
El Clasico is slated to begin at 4.15 p.m. local time, or 3.15 p.m. in the UK.
In a major arrangement revealed earlier this year, ITV guaranteed that they will air a few La Liga games over the course of the following three seasons.
It covers the current year and the following two, 2024 and 2025.
The channel declared it will show 10 matches per season, all of which would be between FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Athletic Madrid.
Nevertheless, despite this agreement, ITV is not expected to broadcast the El Clasico on October 16.
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona will be broadcast on Premier Sports 1 and LaLigaTV in the UK. Customers of Sky and Virgin must have a separate subscription in order to access Premier Sports.
Customers of Sky pay £9.99 per month for the channels, whereas subscribers of Virign Media pay £12.99 per month for access to Premier Sports.
LaLigaTV, Box Nation, and Premier Sports 1 and 2 are all included in the package.
Conclusion
The most eagerly anticipated football match of the Spanish league season, El Gran Clasico, will pit the top two teams in La Liga against one another.
Barcelona has led the league with 22 points after eight games under Xavi Hernandez.
Real Madrid, the defending champions, are in second place with an equal number of points but a poorer goal differential than their rivalry rivals.
