Three talking points ahead of FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid | La Liga MD 10

· BarcaUniversal

The big weekend in La Liga is here, as Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to lock horns at the Spotify Camp Nou in a grandstand fixture. One week ago, Barcelona would have been overwhelming favourites to demolish Real Madrid given Los Blancos’ continual struggles this season. Matters, however, have changed significantly over the past […] The post Three talking points ahead of FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid | La Liga MD 10 appeared first on Barca Universal .

The big weekend in La Liga is here, as Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to lock horns at the Spotify Camp Nou in a grandstand fixture.

One week ago, Barcelona would have been overwhelming favourites to demolish Real Madrid given Los Blancos’ continual struggles this season.

Matters, however, have changed significantly over the past week and the situation is no longer as clear in the Catalans’ favour.

Barcelona are now coming freshly off a defeat against PSG in the UEFA Champions League while Real Madrid are coasting on momentum with two 4-1 wins in their last two games against Sevilla and RB Leipzig.

Barcelona might still be the favourites, but they will have to work hard against a Real Madrid side that has just recently returned to a run of confidence.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Barcelona vs Real Madrid.

Time to show answers

Hansi Flick’s decisions throughout Barcelona’s game against PSG midweek left more questions than answers in every sense.

Right from his decision to start Rodri on the bench to his idea of taking Pedri and Xavi Espart off when the team needed their presence the most, the manager’s decisions were questionable throughout.

The biggest explanation speculated that addresses the situation, in that sense, was that the manager had a clear priority in mind to focus on El Clasico over the PSG clash, especially given the current importance of both games in the grander scheme.

After all, the PSG game was only a league stage game in the UEFA Champions League where Barcelona could afford to drop points, but the Clasico is crucial in terms of handing a massive blow to Real Madrid in the title race.

In that sense, giving a lower priority to the PSG game seems understandable to an extent, but only if Flick and Barcelona show the answers to the unanswered questions tomorrow night.

Flick’s decisions, right from the starting lineup to the substitutions, will speak loudly and will reflect whether the manager’s priority was indeed El Clasico along.

The likes of Pedri and Rodri are required on the field together throughout the game for Barcelona to remain in control, and all eyes will be on whether Barcelona can bounce back from the defeat midweek.

Massive night for the defence

Real Madrid may not have set the footballing world on fire so far this season, but their performances have significantly improved in recent games.

Regardless of their level this season, moreover, it is clear that Real Madrid are a typical Jose Mourinho side – designed to counter-attack viciously and capitalise on Barcelona’s one vulnerability.

In Kylian Mbappe, Yan Diomande, Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler, Real Madrid have the resources to be devastating on the counter. In that sense, Barcelona’s defence simply cannot afford to switch off even momentarily.

The defence has been better than previous seasons this time around, and have not been caught on the counter as regularly as before.

Yet, the fact that Real Madrid’s strengths are designed to capitalise on against Barcelona’s style of football must send a warning sign.

Xavi Espart has looked promising in recent games, and Pau Cubarsi is usually reliable in high-pressure games of high pressure.

All eyes, in that sense, will be on Gerard Martin and Joao Cancelo whose defensive awareness and decision making will have to be pinpoint.

A chance to run clear

It’s just October, and Barcelona already have Real Madrid under serious pressure ahead of El Clasico.

The Catalans are yet to drop a point this season in the domestic competition, and they sit on a perfect 27 points after nine games.

Los Blancos , meanwhile, are on 21 points and are already a full six points behind the leaders just nine games into the season. Now, Barcelona have a chance to deliver a crushing blow in the title race.

A win on Sunday night will take Barcelona a staggering nine points clear of Real Madrid at this early stage in the season – a deficit that will be very difficult to recover from.

Moreover, it will hand Barcelona a significant cushion on the leaderboard and breathing space to focus on other competitions.

A defeat, however, will reduce the deficit to just three points and will come as a massive psychological blow to Barcelona’s dressing room despite their strong start to the season.

There is, thus, every reason for Barcelona to go all out against their arch-rivals tomorrow night. Taking three points is absolutely crucial for the title race.

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