FC Barcelona (1st, 79 points) versus Real Madrid CF (2nd, 75 points)


Competition/Round

: 2024-25
La Liga
, Matchday 35


Barcelona Outs & Doubts

Pablo Torre, Jules Koundé, Marc Bernal (not playing)


Real Madrid Injuries and Questionable Players

: Dani Carvajal, Éder Militão, David Alaba, Eduardo Camavinginga, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy (injured)


Date/Time

Sunday, May 11, 2025, at 4:15 PM CET (in Barcelona), which corresponds to 3:15 PM BST/WAT (for UK and Nigeria), 10:15 AM Eastern Time, 7:15 AM Pacific Standard Time for those in the USA, and 7:45 PM Indian Standard Time.


Venue

:
Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys
, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain


Referee

: Alejandro Hernández Hernández


VAR

: Juan Martínez Munuera


Where and how to view on television?

: ESPN (USA), TSN 3 (Canada), Premier Sports 1 (UK), SuperSport (Nigeria),
Movistar
(Spain),

others


How to watch online

:

ESPN+

(USA) – LaLiga TV (UK), GXR World (India),
Movistar+
(Spain),

others

Following a heartbreaking defeat to Inter Milan in extra-time to end their Champions League journey at the semi-final stage, Barcelona are set to play the biggest game of the season as they welcome Real Madrid to the
Montjuïc
Olympic Stadium for the fourth and final
El Clásico
during the campaign on Sunday afternoon.

Barça come into this one with a four-point lead at the top of the table, and a victory over their biggest rivals would extend the gap to seven points and secure the head-to-head tiebreaker, which basically means the Catalans can virtually wrap up the league title this weekend and would need just two points from their final three matches to mathematically clinch the championship.

The
Blaugrana
will also have the head-to-head tiebreaker in their favor with a draw or even a three-goal loss, all thanks to their incredible 4-0 win in the reverse fixture at the
Bernabéu
. Securing the head-to-head is absolutely crucial, especially in case of a defeat, because Madrid would have to finish ahead of Barça to win the title. With the head-to-head in their pocket Barça can be champions even if the two sides finish with the same number of points after the last matchday, so they can still control their destiny as long as they don’t lose in embarrassing fashion.

However, the sole focus for Hansi Flick and his team remains victory on Sunday; this would be an ideal response to one of the most agonizing defeats in Barcelona’s recent history, as well as another opportunity to demonstrate their psychological toughness and fortitude. Despite the undeniable fatigue following 120 grueling minutes in Italy and an extensive seasonal schedule thus far, they have to somehow gather sufficient stamina to conclude their mission this weekend.

Barça have won all three meetings this season by a combined score of 12-4, but their most recent clash in the
Copa del Rey
The final was the tightest contest so far: Barcelona required a last-minute twist and an epic extra-time performance from Jules Koundé to triumph in Sevilla following their complete domination in the second half. This might be the breakthrough Carlo Ancelotti needs to crack the Hansi Flick conundrum.

The incorporation of Arda Güler along with the shift to a standard 4-4-2 setup featuring Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius at the forefront generated numerous issues for the opponent.
Blaugrana
, as Mbappé found a method to avoid being caught offside against Barcelona’s advanced defensive line, and Vinicius utilized his speed and agility to maneuver around the less nimble Barça defenders, generating significant threat.

Barcelona dominated the first half and might well have gone ahead by at least two goals even against one less player, yet Real Madrid turned up the pressure on the referee with their pre-game behavior, transforming the match into a brutal affair where rough play often bordered on outright aggression.

We don’t know if
Los Blancos
Will receive similar leniency this round; however, we’re aware that their defense has taken quite a hit as all top-tier defenders are sidelined for the year with injuries. Barcelona needs to capitalize on the situation where Lucas Vázquez and Fran García—who struggle significantly when defending—may begin the match at fullback against Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

The focus should be entirely on the wing play here: if Barcelona manages to contain Mbappe, Vinicius, and Gulherme, while outplaying Vazquez and Garcia, they’ll come away with the victory. It’s straightforward like that. However, if the performance seen in the latter part of the Copa del Rey final persists, it will make for a far more challenging contest, giving Real Madrid a genuine opportunity to spring an upset.
Montjüic
and exert immense pressure on Barça to triumph in all three of their challenging upcoming fixtures (away against Espanyol, hosting Villarreal, and playing away against Athletic Bilbao) to clinch the championship.

A tie isn’t necessarily unfavorable. Certainly not. While Barcelona shouldn’t aim solely for a draw, they could consider themselves content with one after ninety minutes. As long as they avoid defeat, they maintain complete command over the championship chase. They must absorb the insights gained from the errors committed towards the close of the match against Milan and get ready to handle yet another challenging fixture pivotal to shaping their campaign.

A potential domestic treble along with sweeping their main competitors in all four encounters this season—what more could anyone desire?

Let’s dance.

POSSIBLE LINEUPS


Barcelona (4-2-3-1)

: Szczesny; Eric, Cubarsí, Iñigo, Martín; De Jong, Pedri; Yamal, Olmo, Raphinha; Ferran


Real Madrid (4-4-2)

Courtois; Vázquez, Asencio, Tchouameni, Garcia; Güler, Ceballos, Valverde, Bellingham; Mbappe, Vinicius

PREDICTION

Everything in my gut tells me this will be a draw, but I’m choosing to believe that Barça will show their fortitude and resilience and find a way to get a decisive victory: 2-1 to the good guys.