Barcelona vs Real Madrid
We love it here, you love it out there, fans in Spain and around the world love it and, on Saturday 29th July at 5pm local time, the AT&T Stadium in Texas will host El Clasico.
The two La Liga titans, Barcelona and Real Madrid, meet in July 2022 for a Club Friendly and Barcelona emerged as winners when Raphinha scored the only goal of the game. And that result set the tone for the 2022/23 La Liga campaign which the Blaugrana won for the first time since 2019.
The betting odds are finding it hard to split these two teams for the coming title race, and managers Xavi and Carlo Ancelotti are still trying to strengthen their hands. There have even been rumours circulating in Spain that both clubs have been in the hunt for the signature of PSG’s Kylian Mbappe.
But the bosses will focus on this match in terms of preparing their existing players and getting a result for their passionate fans.
The match, of course, has huge political connotations, with Madrid being the capital of Spain and Barcelona is the largest city in the independence seeking region of Catalonia. And that undercurrent will not be lost on the fans in Texas.
This one is a friendly, but El Clasico is always a huge game.
Talking Points
Gavi fit for Barca
Barcelona lost their first big pre-season match, a 5-3 thriller against Arsenal, though Xavi was not amused by the Premier League side’s aggressive approach.
The Gunners are further into their pre-season programme, and maybe the Catalans were a little undercooked, but Xavi said the intensity of Arsenal’s play was unusual for a friendly in the middle of summer.
Gunners boss Mikel Arteta was unrepentant, and so Xavi will just have to deal with it and make sure his team is ready for Madrid.
Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Ferran Torres scored for Barcelona, and they are sure to play some part against Los Blancos. And there may be a return for midfield ace Gavi who has recovered from a back injury.
The 18-year-old was suffering from a stomach bug a few weeks ago, so it’s been a frustrating time for him and his boss. At such a young age, Gavi was a key player in Barcelona’s title winning side, playing 49 times and assisting seven goals while scoring three.
The Catalans have to balance their books to keep their financial house in order, but they do have another world class midfielder in summer signing Ilkay Gundogan, and he’ll be looking forward to his first El Clasico.
Madrid’s midfield choices
He made the headlines as the first big signing of the summer and, in the victory over Manchester United, Jude Bellingham scored his first goal for Los Blancos since his move from Borussia Dortmund.
It was a beautifully executed chip that will surely be in the Club Friendly 2023 highlights reel, and the young England star has settled in well as part of a squad full of midfield talent with a superb blend of youth and experience.
In their 2-0 win over the Red Devils, Bellingham played at the front of a four which included Eduardo Camavinga, Aurelien Tchouameni, and the evergreen Luka Modric.
Federico Valverde, who had a great season last term and another old hand, Toni Kroos, are available if Ancelotti wants to shuffle his pack.
But it is a different story up front where Vinicius Junior and Rodrygo are the two names almost certain to start. Madrid needs reinforcements in attack to take the pressure off the young Brazilian pair.
They are both outstanding players, but they cannot carry the attacking threat for an entire campaign now that their leader Karim Benzema has left the building.
History
Real Madrid are 35-time La Liga champions, while Barcelona are the second-most successful club in Spanish history with 27 league titles.
In terms of head-to-heads, the Catalans are in front with 123 El Clasico victories to Madrid’s 108, and there have been 64 draws in all competitions including friendly and exhibition fixtures.
I think it’s unlikely that the Blaugrana will allow themselves to be bullied by their fiercest rivals after they were shaken up by Arsenal. And the likely return of Gavi is a boost to Barca. Lewandowski is off the mark already, and he is the best striker between the two sides.
Los Blancos could win the midfield battle and that would give them the edge in the Club Friendly 2023 odds, but I suspect Barca will give them a stiffer test than Manchester United did.
It will be an entertaining bout and I’m predicting a win by the odd goal in three. But for which team? That’s up to you, but my inkling is Los Blancos.
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