All eyes turn to Santiago Bernabéu Stadium this Sunday evening, where the highly anticipated "El Clásico" between Real Madrid and Barcelona will ignite, as part of the tenth round of La Liga.

Also Read: Battle for the Top Between Real Madrid and Barcelona

In this decisive clash for the La Liga lead, German coach Hans Flick announced Barcelona’s lineup, reflecting major absences and clearly relying on attacking dynamism and youthful energy.

With key players Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha sidelined due to injury, Flick opted for the attacking trio of Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres, and Marcus Rashford, attempting to compensate for the missing experience with speed and creativity.

This lineup highlights Flick’s intent to exploit Rashford’s new skills and Yamal’s emerging brilliance to challenge Real Madrid’s advanced defense.

Barcelona Lineup: A Mix of Stability and Offensive Ambition

Flick’s announced lineup balances limited experience with promising young talent:

• Goalkeeper: Wojciech Szczęsny

• Defense: Alejandro Balde – Eric Garcia – Pau Cobarsí – Jules Koundé

• Midfield: Pedri Gonzalez – Frenkie de Jong – Fermín Lopez

• Attack: Ferran Torres – Marcus Rashford – Lamine Yamal

Analysis of Barcelona’s Lines:

• Defense: Flick relies on young duo Balde and Koundé on the flanks to provide speed in advancing and attacking. In central defense, Eric Garcia and Pau Cobarsí (if fielded) face a tough test of coordination against Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr.

• Midfield (Youthful Dynamism): Leadership duo Pedri and Frenkie de Jong will guide the midfield, orchestrating attacks and controlling tempo. Fermín Lopez adds unexpected dynamism and movement against Madrid’s midfield quartet.

• Attack (Speed and Revenge): The Yamal–Torres–Rashford trio is Flick’s key to threatening Courtois’ goal. Lamine Yamal will focus on penetration and individual creativity, Rashford will exploit his speed for counterattacks, and Ferran Torres plays a more mobile striker role.

Team Standings: A Clash for the Top Spot

Both teams enter the Clásico competing fiercely for the lead:

• Real Madrid: 9 matches, 8 wins, 1 loss (5–2 vs Atlético), 1st place with 24 points.

• Barcelona: 9 matches, 7 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss (4–1 vs Sevilla), 2nd place with 22 points.

The outcome is critical: a Barcelona win would seize the La Liga top, while a Madrid victory would extend their lead to five points.

Last Season’s Nightmare Haunts Real Madrid

Today’s Clásico is overshadowed by last season (2024–2025), which proved disastrous for Real Madrid in previous El Clásico encounters across competitions, yielding no victories and three titles lost to Barcelona.

• La Liga (First Half): Barcelona dominated 4–0 in Flick’s debut Clásico. Lewandowski scored twice, Yamal and Raphinha each netted once.

• Spanish Super Cup Final: Barcelona won 5–2 despite Mbappé’s early goal. Goals came from Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha (2), and Balde.

• Copa del Rey Final: Madrid initially led 2–0 within 7 minutes (Mbappé and Tchouaméni), but Barcelona came back with a late Torres goal and the winner in extra time from Koundé.

• La Liga (Second Half): At Camp Nou, Madrid went 2–0 up in 14 minutes, but Barcelona scored four to win 4–3 and clinch the league title.

This recent history turns today’s Clásico into a redemption battle for Alonso’s squad and a tactical proving ground for Flick, raising the intensity of competition at Santiago Bernabéu to its peak.