Barcelona vs Real Madrid El Clasico Highlights: Alaba, Vazquez take Madrid through; Aguero scores for Barca

Barcelona vs Real Madrid, El-Clasico 2021-22: Catch the live football streaming updates, team line-ups, match stats between BAR and MAD from Sportstar.

Updated : Oct 24, 2021 22:11 IST

Real Madrid's David Alaba celebrates scoring its first goal
Real Madrid's David Alaba celebrates scoring its first goal
lightbox-info

Real Madrid's David Alaba celebrates scoring its first goal

Welcome to Sportstar's blog of the Barcelona vs Real Madrid match being played at the Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona.

 

Big shoes to fill for Barca's new No. 10

 

LINEUPS ARE OUT!!

Barcelona XI: Ter Stegen (GK), Mingueza, Pique, Eric Garcia, Alba, Busquets, De Jong, Gavi, Fati, Dest, Memphis.

Coach: Ronald Koeman

Real Madrid XI: Courtois (GK), Mendy, Alaba, Eder Militao, Vazquez, Casemiro, Kroos, Modric, Rodrygo, Vinicius, Benzema.

Coach: Carlo Ancelotti

MATCH PREVIEW

Barcelona  faces another test of its post-Messi era when  Real Madrid  visits Camp Nou on an action-packed Sunday that also features a clash between the Spanish heavyweights.

The first clasico since Lionel Messi left for Paris will inevitably overshadow an equally enticing visit by  Real Sociedad  to  Atletico Madrid.  The Basque Country side with its sleek attacking style leads the league, while the titleholder boasts the deepest attack in the competition.

The visit by Madrid will close a three-game home stretch for Barcelona that coach Ronald Koeman called crucial to getting his team back on the winning path after a poor start to the season left him under intense pressure.

Koeman’s side started the week beating Valencia 3-1 in the league. It followed that by  beating Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 on Wednesday  that boosted Barcelona’s chances of avoiding elimination from the Champions League’s group stage for the first time in 20 years.

ALSO READ - Departure of Ronaldo, Messi does not diminish El Clasico says former Madrid defender Sanz

But Koeman was critical of his players for not being more convincing against a timid Dynamo. Defender Gerard Pique scored Barcelona’s only goal in three Champions League matches this season while its attack continues to sputter. Messi and Antoine Griezmann, which the cash-strapped Barcelona loaned back to Atletico this summer to save his salary, combined for 58 of Barcelona’s 122 goals last season.

Newcomer Memphis Depay leads Barcelona this season with four goals, but no other player has scored more than twice. Compare that to Madrid, which has got 11 goals from Karim Benzema and seven more from Vinicius Junior.

“I can understand why our fans are upset because I am upset also,” Koeman said. “We have to be more efficient in scoring. It is the responsibility of our attacking players.”

‘Step by step’

Koeman made one exception to the criticism of his forwards; he said the team could not demand too much from 18-year-old Ansu Fati. The teenager, who recently returned from a 10-month injury layoff, signed a contract extension until 2027 after the Dynamo match that included a buyout clause of EUR 1 billion (USD 1.1 billion).

“We have to remember he has been out a long time injured. And besides, he has yet to turn 19,” Koeman said. “We cannot ask him to solve all our problems and fill the gap left by Messi. We have to go step by step and not ask him to perform miracles.”

ALSO WATCH: El Clasico gears up for battle of rising young talent

Barcelona will be hoping Sunday’s match against its fiercest rival can pull in more than the 45,000 spectators who only half-filled the 99,000-seat Camp Nou against Dynamo.

Madrid returns to Barcelona on the heels of a much-needed 5-0 victory at Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League. Madrid’s big win followed two upsets: A shock loss to Moldavian side Sheriff at home and a defeat at Barcelona-based Espanyol in the Liga.

Vinícius scored twice to lead Madrid’s win in Ukraine, the Brazilian winger solidifying his status as Benzema’s best partner.

“(Vinicius) has improved greatly and is having a really good start to the season. He’s got quality and is clinical in front of goal,” coach Carlo Ancelotti said after Tuesday’s victory. “This win gives us confidence, but the game against Barcelona is a different match and it’ll be a different story.”

Barcelona enters the round in seventh place but just two points behind Madrid, which is in second place and level on points with Sevilla, Atletico and Osasuna.

How to watch

Sign in to unlock all user benefits
  • Get notified on top games and events
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign up / manage to our newsletters with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early bird access to discounts & offers to our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide to our community guidelines for posting your comment