'Bragging Rights': Real Madrid Look To Snap Four-Game El Clasico Losing Streak As Barcelona Come Visiting

Last Updated:October 26, 2025, 19:13 IST

Madrid hold a two-point lead over Barca at the top of the Spanish league table ahead of the first Clasico of the season at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium..

Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham celebrates with teammates after scoring his sides first goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Juventus in Madrid, Spain, Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid host La Liga champions in the first Clasico of the season, aiming to break a four-game losing streak against their Catalan rivals. Madrid is also defending their league lead, entering Sunday’s match at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with a two-point advantage over Barcelona.

Madrid lost all Clasicos last season across all competitions, being outscored 16-7. It marked the first instance where Barcelona won every Clasico in a season with at least three matches between the rivals.

Barcelona arrives with injury concerns in attack, and coach Hansi Flick will have to watch the game from a stadium box after being shown a red card for protesting in the previous round.

Lamine Yamal is set to start for the visitors after playing two games since returning from a nagging groin injury. However, striker Robert Lewandowski is ruled out for Barcelona with a hamstring injury, and forward Raphinha remains on the injury list due to a right leg ailment sustained in late September.

Raphinha scored five of the 16 goals that Barcelona netted in the four matches against Madrid last season. Playmaker Dani Olmo and first-choice goalkeeper Joan García have already been ruled out due to injuries.

Madrid will be led by a red-hot Kylian Mbappé, who has scored a La Liga-leading 10 goals in nine rounds – four more than his nearest challenger – and an additional five goals in the Champions League over the first two months of the season.

Madrid beat Juventus 1-0 in the Champions League with a goal by Jude Bellingham on Wednesday, while Barcelona arrives following a 6-1 win against Olympiakos. Midfielder Fermín López scored a hat trick, and Marcus Rashford added two more goals.

The Clasico comes with La Liga lamenting the collapse of plans to hold a regular-season game between Barcelona and Villarreal in Miami next month.

News sports 'Bragging Rights': Real Madrid Look To Snap Four-Game El Clasico Losing Streak As Barcelona Come Visiting

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