Let’s be honest – the English Premier League is the best league in the world, Serie A has a bulk of strong teams, the Bundesliga is a hotbed of attractive football, and Ligue 1 can sometimes be as exciting as it gets.However, there’s not a single game out there – in any of the leagues mentioned above – that comes close to the La Liga derby between Real Madrid and Barcelona. El Clasico is not the most significant rivalry in the world (who said Liverpool vs Manchester United), but, for sure, this is a match like no other. And the time has come for another 258th edition of the game of all the games, as the two sides meet tonight at the mythical Santiago Bernabeu stadium.##NAJAVA_MECA_8445273##This El Clasico comes in a specific moment for both teams: the hosts are flirting with a crisis that could have ended disastrously for them in midweek, as Borussia Dortmund were two goals up at Bernabeu before a second-half storm on the wings of impeccable Vinicius Jr saved Los Blancos nad pushed them to a 5-2 victory; Barcelona, on the other hand, clinched one of the most impressive victories in recent years by battering none other than Bayern Munich 4-1 at home.UCL: Hansi’s Brutalona! Barca destroy Bayern the way nobody could possibly imagineHansi Flick has made such a massive impact after just a few months at the helm of the Blaugrana. With a single reinforcement (Dani Olmo), with almost the same players that Xavi depended on, the German tactician created a ruthless machine that keeps thumping their rivals like they’re a bunch of amateurs and not La Liga/Champions League forces. Lamine Yamal is thriving, Robert Lewandowski is as lethal as he was during the previous cooperation with Flick at Bayern Munich, and Raphinha is reborn… However, those names are not new to us, unlike those of Pau Cubarsi, Fermin Lopez, Pau Torre, Inigo Martinez and – especially – Marc Casado. The 21-year-old midfielder has established himself as one of the most important members of the squad, with his display against the Bavarians being nothing but spectacular.Let’s talk about this Marc Casado assist… 👏👏#UCL pic.twitter.com/kqj6Aie0JD— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 25, 2024 Since his surname literally means married in Spanish, some Barca fans joked that no one knows how good he would be if he didn’t say ‘yes’ so young. Jokes aside, Casado’s performance against Barcelona’s archrival could prove crucial for El Clasico’s outcome. That will be his maiden El Clasico and we’re sure the whole world will remember him after this one.On the other hand, Real Madrid are going through a substantial crisis in terms of defensive flaws. Almost every recent game caused lots of turbulences and troubles for Carlo Ancelotti’s team and its back line. Thankfully for Los Blancos’ fanbase, their attacking force, which is made up of Mbappe, Vinicius Jr, Bellingham, and occasionally Modric, is so strong and capable of creating miracles out of the blue.UCL: Never write off the King and his bravest knight Vini!Still, this time it will be challenging for them to be competitive with Barca since Ancelotti won’t be provided with the services of Courtois and Rodrygo, who are both injured.”It is true that they are doing very well,” said Carletto at the press conference on Friday. “In a match like El Clasico, it is very difficult to choose a favorite. However, at the moment, I have no trouble and sleep well.”Ancelotti unfazed by Barcelona’s rise ahead of El ClasicoThe Italian manager didn’t want to reveal his game plan for tonight.”I have something planned, but I don’t think it’s appropriate to explain it today. We’ll see on Saturday night and then you can tell me if I’m wrong or not”. Anything can happen. It’s not just about quality. It’s about how you handle the pressure and the moments of the game because there will be moments when we’re in control, and others when they have it. That time management is key to success in the game.”Barcelona have scored 43 goals in just 13 games in all competitions this season 😳That’s an average of over three goals per game under Hansi Flick 🤯UNREAL 🔥 pic.twitter.com/lFe8efkW8J— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 24, 2024 His counterpart Flick compared El Clasico with Der Klassiker, the match between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.”We play football because of those moments and do our best to win. That’s our job, that’s all. When you go out on the field, you play for them, for the fans. Playing El Clasico is what the dreams are made of. In Germany, there is also Der Klassiker, but it is not the same as this Spanish one,” concluded Flick.LA LIGA – MATCHDAY 11Friday Espanyol – Sevilla 0-2 (0-2)/Lukebakio 20,45/Saturday 15.00: (3.70) Valladolid (3.50) Villareal (2.00)17.15: (2.10) Rayo Vallecano (3.20) Alaves (3.80)19.30: (3.05) Las Palmas (3.45) Girona (2.45)22.00: (2.10) Real Madrid (3.70) Barcelona (3.60)Sunday 15.00: (3.20) Leganes (3.10) Celta (2.40)17.15: (2.25) Getafe (2.95) Valencia (3.70)19.30: (3.30) Betis (3.25) Atl.Madrid (2.40)22.00: (1.80) Sociedad (3.50) Osasuna (4.70)Monday 22.00: (3.00) Mallorca (3.15) Ath.Bilbao (2.65)***odds are subject to change***
