Can Barcelona keep up their perfect LALIGA record vs. Real Madrid? 👀 | El Clasico preview | ESPN FC

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El Clasico preview: Barcelona hold home edge as pressure mounts on Real Madrid and Mourinho

ESPN FC previews El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid, focusing on the pressure on Real Madrid, Mourinho's lineup choices and Barcelona's strong form. Most of the discussion favors Barcelona at home, with a brief turn to Premier League topics such as Tottenham's win at Chelsea.

Dan Thomas, Steve McManaman and Ian Darke join ESPN FC to discuss to upcoming El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. ✔️ Subscribe to ESPN Unlimited: https://plus.espn.com/ ESPN ESPNFC

Transcript

A reminder of how things are looking in La Liga. Athlete closing up there on Barcelona ahead of Barcelona playing against Real Madrid in the big one tomorrow. It is Eláico and our team Dan Thomas, Ian Dark and Steve McManaman are out there for us to tell us a lot more of what we've got to look forward to. >> Thank you very much K. Here we are then. The boys that will be calling the game live from the camp now. Ian Dark, Steve McMman, the dream team. I think it's fair to [laughter] say. >> I don't know about that. >> Some people think it's the nightmare. I think >> Well, I think cheap and cheerful. I've heard >> cheap and cheerful. [laughter] >> I think that's about right. Nightmare and cheerful. Nightmare or cheap and cheerful. >> Like it or not, despite the protest, you've done a lot of these games, Ian. What in particular stands out going into this one? >> Well, I think there's a lot on this because Real Madrid could fall nine points behind Barcelona. So, what a lot of pressure really already on Jose Mourinho this early in the season. Bear in mind the size of the task, this avalanche of goals that Barcelona are scoring and they've won their last 23 home games. So, it's a big big mountain Real Madrid have got to climb. They are improving, but how do they stop Barcelona? How does Mourinho go about it? Well, Jose Mourinho was brought in to conquer this mountain considering Real Madrid's record against Barcelona, just one win in the last eight classical, but we haven't seen any sort of signs that he's getting this team to gel. >> No, they've been very inconsistent uh since the start of the season. I actually think in this last what 10 days or so, they've been better. They've more been more consistent, but as I mentioned yesterday, they're the opposition is incomparable to what Barcelona can show. Um, you know, normally the Classicos, we judge the the the the importance of the Classicos on the second tie, don't we? Because it's near the end of the season, who's going to win the league, this is so important, etc. But the fact that we're talking about a game in October being vital for uh you know the the results of La Liga and who goes on to win it, I think is extraordinary really considering the squad that Real Madrid have got. But the fact that they've lost already away at at Real Betis and they've lost away at Atletico Madrid teams that have been above them until until recently. Um they have to go to the camp new and get a result get some sort of result. They can't lose because if they lose and that's three and 10 under Mourinho. You can imagine this it's going to start to be chaotic. It's a little bit chaotic at the moment. Real Madrid. If they lose again to Barcelona, which is possible because of Barcelona's wonderful form, it will be it will be crazy, I think. >> How do you think he's going to approach it team-wise, Ian? Because there's a lot of question marks about, for example, will Valve play at right back. What is Ara's best position? We know there's no Vinnie Jr., Diamand is looking better. And who you going to put in that midfield? >> Well, exactly. Does he go with Gouair with Shuani in there? Is that a little bit too flimsy? or does he play Goule maybe tucked in from the right hand side keeping Valver at right back. Velvet doesn't like playing there but it's a way of keeping him in the team frankly at the moment and it seems to have worked a bit better doesn't it? The Mourinho quote the other day was, "It's not everything I want, but this is better." And of course, they do have the goalcoring power of Mbappe that can change any game. And I think, you know, it's interesting. You look at the stats. Diamande is doing better than Venicious on form. I think they're going to use him on the left hand side uh of the attack, I think, and his pace and his form because I think he's really growing into his role now at Real Madrid maybe just gives them a chance. And I just throw another thing in here. Barcelona I think two weeks ago we were thinking this this is a bit of a formality really the way things are going in the season. The way Real Allen slipped up against Atletico but rail swarms improved and Barcelona did that just burst the bubble a little bit the other night losing 4-2 to Paris Sanjaman. I only throwing that out there. >> Do you think that burst the bubble? >> No. I I almost thought that looking at the two sides away in Paris with the classicalico coming up, I expected Barcelona to lose the game to be very honest. It didn't surprise me at all that they lost >> because with all respect to Paris Sanjiman in the early rounds of um of the Champions League when there's eight games to get through. >> Um it didn't matter if they lost. >> It's it it matters tomorrow whether they lose or win or draw u because there's more on the game tomorrow. So, it it didn't surprise me at all that that Barcelona lost cuz I think they've got one one eye on this game tomorrow. It'll be interesting to see uh what team Real Madrid put out. I think Fed Valverde will play right back because he does a great job wherever he plays and I think it's about getting him in the team. When I saw him at Atletico Madrid away from home with Chumeni, they looked a little bit lost. Um and I think Gula will play on the right. I think he's as as Darkkey rightly said, I don't think him and Chumeni are as are good enough to play Barcelona in the center of the park. So, I think he will be off the right coming in centrally to help out. >> But still, >> he's got to play, hasn't he? >> Yeah, he has to play and Dandy has to play because their form of late tells you that they have to play because they're they're really important. Whether it's going to be good enough, whether they can sustain 90 minutes of solid, hardworking, real good football with flashes of brilliance from Bellingham and Mbappe, we'll wait and see. But I think it's Madrid's best form going into the classical going in a while. They struggled early on the season. They're playing well now and there's there's a lot of confidence in the team. >> It's funny that we take for granted almost now that a teenager, one of the best players in the world, the star of this side is Lamin. Yeah. and and we it's just there we we take [clears throat] it and again the classicalico delivers in the sense that there isn't another game where you have such great quality on the pitch when it comes to individuals for Real Madrid you've got Mbappe and Bellingham if you want to pick a top two and for Barcelona you've got Rafinia and Lamin >> it's a it's a great game to watch or has been last five years blockbuster matches before that of course we had the Messi Cristiano Ronaldo we've moved on from that there's so much piled high here >> as well looked Rusty did it against PSG and we know what he did at the start of the season. So he'll be looking to kind of hit the ground running. >> Yeah, I think he's he'll play an important part. The fact that he did play some sort of of game against PSG suggest he'll be fine. Rodri was only came on against PSG, doesn't he? So they've used a lot of people sparingly. I think that's what's helped Barcelona. They've been a because they've been so dominant, they've been able to take players off, rest players at certain times, bring people on. You know they've used six up front which has been incredible really you know Adamian Gordon Gabriel [clears throat] Jesus Rafinia Danny Mo Lamine and they've been able to say right you're off you're off so actually they haven't had a hard time yet they've been free [snorts] flowing and free scoring so we'll wait and see what kind of side they put out but you think the fact that it's at the camp new the fact that it's got so much riding on it you know the game almost speaks for itself doesn't it >> it really does >> you know it's it's an incredible game in itself but the fact that it's got so much riding on it. It's not first against 10th. It's first against third and third are trying to jump into second. It's got that order about it already so early on in the season. >> Isn't it amazing too that Jose Mourinho and Hansy Flick, two great coaches have only ever met once. >> It once was Bayern Munich >> Tottenham Bayern Munich back in 2019. So this one means a little bit more than >> I think this may be a little bit more more spicy. What's your prediction? This is a weird one to predict, isn't it? Oh, I hate doing predictions because um I mean the form book says Barcelona the form book says Barcelona but uh >> yeah I'm calling the game so I'm not going to make a prediction. >> Do you think both teams will score? >> Yeah that's for certain. >> Who do you think will score more? [laughter] >> Which is another way of asking it. >> M what you going for? >> No I I I said last night I think Barcelona will win because it's at home. I think this game relies so much on home advantage. If it was in the Bernab, I'd probably go with Real Madrid. If the fact that it's at Camp New as I said last night, I hope I'm terribly wrong, which I am on a lot of occasions, but I think Barcelona wouldn't. I think they'll have too much firepower. I don't think Mourinho's got the side that can dig in, >> be strong, be together, and keep Barcelona quiet. It's not one of those teams. It's not an Inter Milan of the past when he's gone there. It's not a Chelsea of the past with, you know, dogged determination. This is a Real Madrid team that like to go forward and score goals and have got real brilliant artists up front. So, I think it'll be open and I don't know how Real Madrid will score more goals than Barcelona. So, I'm probably I went 3-1 last night and I have to stay exactly the same. >> Could be 4-4. It's one of them, isn't it? >> Is that your prediction? [laughter] >> It could be. It could easily be three or 44. >> It may be. >> I'm looking I'm looking into my crystal ball now for you. >> Before we hand back to the studio, we've had a great day together watching football. mainly because Berley wasn't there because his bad back. Uh [laughter] what stood out to you today from the Premier League in particular? >> Well, it'd have to be I think Tottenham Hotspur getting that win at Chelsea. I think this is only the second win they've had there since 1990. So, they deserve the win as well. And it does look like Roberto deserve has them turning a corner. As for Chelsea, well, we thought they were improving. They were flat as a pancake. >> Why did they go and take it for granted? This is old Chelsea. This is Chelsea. This is this is the Chelsea that we've been saying. They they're not in Europe, so they should fly through this season with the squad that they have, >> but they were really flat. I thought Aston Villa were excellent against Manchester City today to get their victory. Um, and even Alv Alvaro Arbala talking about Real Madrid before, but why do you want to they got a lane winner, which is amazing? >> Oh, look, Manchester City were perfect. They've lost. Spurs, who were at the relegation zone, beat Chelsea. And you want to talk about commentary? No, I'm I'm talking about >> full proper round journalist in him. The new journalist >> winning what? Cuz he was under pressure. He won 1 nil against Hull. He won 1 nil against Coventry. He's not under pressure anymore. And I like that. Yeah, I know him very well. >> But I also know Shave Alono lost. So there you go. >> Oh, there you go. And ESPN FC hate Arsenal so much just don't even mention them despite the fact they >> did Arsenal play today. [laughter] >> Did they play? >> No. Arsel beat the toffies and beat them very very comfortably to be honest but we fully expected that and Liverpool are playing Brighton tomorrow Dan and if >> Arsenal are not doing people don't know that >> and if if Li if Liverpool beat Brighton they'll go into fourth so that's >> Brighton beat Liverpool >> they'll go second so it's they'll stay in the same they'll stay in the same position >> that's an acid test isn't it for Brighton are they for real >> well who's going to win that game >> Liverpool Liverpool will win at Anfield >> yeah you always say that don't you I've got a feeling Brighton might shock them >> there we go >> you got a prediction Yeah, he's got a prediction now. He's not pulling back. >> You twisted my arm. >> There we go. Thank you very much. We're off tonight now that that enjoy the Barcelona night. Back to you in the studio. Okay.