El Clasico causes Futbol Americas TO GET INTO A HEATED DEBATE 🔥
El Clasico sparks heated debate: would a nine-point Barcelona lead end the La Liga title race?
The show debated whether Barcelona going nine points clear in El Clasico would effectively end the La Liga title race. One side argued that titles are not decided in October and that Barcelona still have injury and depth concerns, while another guest said a nine-point lead would basically settle it. Craig focused on how a heavy Real Madrid defeat could trigger a crisis, and on Mourinho still searching for balance while Flick's Barcelona know exactly what they are.
- The La Liga title cannot be decided in October, and Barcelona have collapsed before the winter break in previous seasons, so a nine-point lead is not safe — The season is long and this Barcelona side has shown that kind of slide before.
- It is wrong to say Barcelona are clearly stronger right now; both teams have lost only once in their last six, and Real Madrid are still in it — Recent form is close, and while Real Madrid must prove themselves the La Liga title race is not over.
- Barcelona's first real test this year came against Paris Saint-Germain, and they did not pass it — PSG are the defending Champions League winners, so that was the kind of opponent that could truly test Barcelona.
- If Barcelona go nine points clear after El Clasico, the La Liga title race is over and you can give them the trophy — He was 100 percent certain, treating a nine-point lead in October as decisive enough.
- Barcelona are not deep enough and are injury-prone; if Raphinha or Yamal gets hurt, they could collapse as they did last season, so Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid can catch them and the title race will not be a landslide — Last season Barcelona clearly declined when Raphinha was injured, showing they are not bulletproof.
- If Barcelona win by three or four goals and go nine points clear, the bigger issue is not just the points but the severe crisis Real Madrid would fall into; the blame game and talk about Mourinho's job would explode, and it would be hard to recover — A heavy Clasico defeat would trigger a chain reaction and a blame game inside Real Madrid, potentially more damaging than the nine-point gap itself.
- Real Madrid are unsettled in both lineup and tactics, with Mourinho still searching for balance; Barcelona under Flick know their game and what they will get, and that clarity could be the big difference on Sunday — Madrid made many changes in midweek, using Bernardo Silva in midfield and Valverde at right back while experienced fullbacks sat on the bench; Flick, by contrast, has a clear grasp of his team.
On Futbol Americas, Craig Burley and Dan Thomas join Alexis Nunes and Herculez Gomez to preview Barcelona vs. Real Madrid in El Clasico. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN
Transcript
and see their chances to at least tie that number. And it's a big occasion indeed because Barcelona could move nine points clear with a win and Real Madrid could cut the gap to three. Even in October though, this could definitely define the title race. What do you guys think? Or are we looking a little too early? >> I was just thinking about that little clip, the Marcus Rashford goal, and actually how well he did at times. How delighted he must be back in Manchester. What a happy place Man United. >> Oh, well for her from Barcelona back to that shambles. I mean that's that's how easy >> that's how quickly >> that's how quickly football comes. >> Well, Alexis has been thoroughly enjoying I imagine [laughter] the last few days of your captain turning on your manager. What could possibly go wrong? [laughter] >> Absolute shambles. But thank goodness we don't have to talk about uh Manchester United. her. What do you think this Eláico could define the title race cuz nine points clear for Barcelona that looks >> you don't win you don't win La Liga in October that's a reality and we've seen this Barcelona in previous editions >> herk you do mate you too surely nine points >> no points against this Real Madrid what do you think is going to suddenly happen the same thing that happened the same thing that happened last year I I think that's it done last Barcelona it's done Madrid before the winter winter break went on a nose dive. Real Madrid, excuse me, Barcelona before the winter break went on a nose dive. Real Madrid didn't take advantage of the league. Who won the league? >> I just told you Real Madrid didn't take advantage of it. There are ways. >> So why are they going to take advantage now when there's so much chaos that they're >> asking about Barcelona? Why they can't? I'm telling you, if Barcelona go on a nose dive like they did last season, Real Madrid are still in this. The the league is not over. The league is not over. That said, Real Madrid have to show you that it's not over. And this version of Real Madrid has the same number of losses this season as Barcelona. >> What? So, so let's not for one second just say that one team's doing better. >> Wait, they lost to Betis. They lost They lost to Atleti. >> One loss. One more loss. I'm sorry. Apologies. In the last six, they both have one loss. >> Okay. Their form isn't identical because Jose Mourinho and this Real Madrid have a different vibe head into this game. It's much more negative, much more toxic. And Barcelona are putting in for a game. For a game, but the first real test that Barcelona have had this year has been PSG. And it's not a test that they passed. It's not exactly a test that they passed. >> Defending Champions League winners, Turk, why you got on Real Madrid TV on us? What's going on? >> I'm not going Real Madrid TV. I'm trying to tell you the league's not over. That's what I'm trying to tell you. The league's not over. It'd be silly of me to say that if they go nine points ahead right now in October, I guarantee you that Barcelona wins the league. I'm not making that guarantee. Are you? >> Yes. 100%. Give them the trophy. It's done. Herk, >> come on, man. >> You know what? >> You know better than this. There's There's more than one competition. This team has already proven they're not deep enough. They're already injuryprone. You're going to sit here and tell me that if Rafinia gets injured, this team, if Lamin gets injured, this team did get injured and they were fine. They're perfect in La Liga. They didn't have Rafa. >> Go back and check last year. When Rafiniah gets injured, this team takes a nose dive. If Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid can take advantage of that, it's not going to be a landslide. >> Madrid are winning La Liga now. >> No, but it won't be walking. And that's what you're saying. >> I want I want to know what Craig thinks. Craig, which one do you agree with? [laughter] >> I he won't agree with me out of spite. [laughter] >> I think if it goes >> I think if it goes to nine, it will be difficult and particularly the way Barcelona are playing, particularly the way Real Madrid are playing. The bigger concern I think if it goes to nine is how it goes to nine. It could if it if it turns out to be a bit of a blood bath and I don't expect it to be, but you know, they've been in the gold bass. So that is I know I know Real Madrid scored four in the Champions League in midweek but uh Bayern Munich took beat Leipy by six a couple of weeks ago. So this Leipix side I'm not side I'm not playing well not defending well if Barcelona trs Real Madrid by three four or more it is going to be severely never mind the nine points the the toxicity that's going to come out of Real Madrid. Everyone's going to get thrown under the bus. Mourinho's job's going to get talked about. the blame game's going to be out there and I think that's going to be very difficult to recover from. So it might not just be if they lose the game, but how they lose the game could play a big part as well. And it just depends how this bassel if Rafin is in form, if Yamal's in form, uh Fermine Lopez making those, whoever it is, Anthony Gordon, if they don't stop that Real Madrid, they're in big trouble. And know as we sit here now, Dan, it's very difficult to think that's going to be the Real Madrid team. Bernard, they made all these changes midweek. Bernardo Silva played in midfield. Aduler the week before played deeper with Chumeni and Jude Bellingham. Valverde to right back. You got two fullbacks in Trent Alexander Arnold and Denzel Defree. Two hugely experienced fullbacks sitting on the back side. So what's he going to do? Is Valverde going to go back there? Is Guller going to play a little bit deeper because he's the best passer they've got? Or are they going to move him? There's so many connotations for for Jos Mourinho. I I think he must still be sitting there at home going, "No, no, not that one. No, no, not that one. No, because I think he's searching, searching, searching for something that's going to give him a balance and a competitive edge in this game." And whilst they may win or they may not win, Barcelona, Hanzy Flick is the one that sat back and gone, I know my team, I know what I'm putting out there, and I know pretty much what I'm going to get. And I think that could be the big difference uh come Sunday here in Spain. >> All right. Well, I know you guys are tired. You just came off of a flight. You need a couple >> tired. We're cold. >> We are going to >> And by the way, when it gets to 11:00 here tonight and I'm doing the FC show, I'm going to be even colder than I am now. Even grumpier than I am now. And I'm going to be shouting at lots of people and not just people on