Top of the table clash highlights the season’s first ELCLASICO

c/o LALIGA

Real Madrid are set to host FC Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabéu early Sunday morning, in the first ELCLASICO of the 2024/25 LALIGA EA SPORTS campaign. The visitors have hit the ground running this season and they currently sit top of the table after winning nine of their first ten league games. Under new coach Hansi Flick, a rejuvenated FC Barcelona went on seven-game winning streak to kick off the campaign, including a 7-0 thrashing of Real Valladolid, a 4-1 victory away at Girona FC and a 5-1 thumping of Villarreal CF on the road.

Despite CA Osasuna briefly putting an end to Los Blaugranas’ momentum with a 4-2 victory at El Sadar on Matchday 8, Flick’s side bounced back by thumping Deportivo Alavés 3-0 away from home and cruising past Sevilla FC with a 5-1 win at the Estadi Olímpic in Montjuïc this past weekend. FC Barcelona are also coming into ELCLASICO following a statement 4-1 home victory midweek, courtesy of a hat-trick from an in-form Raphinha, over Bayern Munich in the Champions League action.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are heading into this one fresh off a brilliant 5-2 comeback win against Borussia Dortmund in the major European football competition. The German side took a two-goal lead before the break, but Los Blancos turned the game around in the second half, with Vinícius netting a hat-trick to lead his team to a trademark Real Madrid comeback win at the Bernabéu.

Despite being one of the two undefeated LALIGA EA SPORTS teams, along with city rivals Atlético de Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti’s team are currently trailing leaders FC Barcelona by three points. The LALIGA EA SPORTS reigning champions have won seven of their ten league games so far, while the other three games – all of which took place away from home – ended in 1-1 draws at RCD Mallorca, UD Las Palmas and Atlético de Madrid.

Heading into this matchup, Real Madrid will have gone as many as 568 days unbeaten at home, having suffered their last loss in front of their own fans back on April 8th 2023, a 3-2 reverse against Villarreal CF. Furthermore, should Los Blancos avoid defeat in the much-anticipated ELCLASICO, they will tie FC Barcelona’s longest unbeaten run of 43 league games between 2017 and 2018, this being the longest undefeated streak in LALIGA EA SPORTS history.

As it is with ELCLASICO, the rivalry always delivers with regards to passion and entertaining football. The last eight league meetings has seen 29 goals, averaging 3.6 goals per game. FC Barcelona currently boast the best attack in LALIGA EA SPORTS with 33 goals scored in ten games, while Real Madrid have netted a second-highest fourteen goals in five home games this season.

In addition, this fixture will feature four of the league’s top five scorers – all of whom are expected to compete for the Pichichi Trophy this season. Robert Lewandowski currently leads all scorers with twelve goals, averaging 1.20 goals per match, and doubling the next best player in Kylian Mbappe, who has netted six goals in his first nine league games.

An in-form Raphinha has recorded 10 goal contributions (five goals and five assists), while Ballon d’Or front-runner Vinícius has bagged five goals and four assists, and both players contributing hat tricks midweek. Kopa Trophy candidate Lamine Yamal has four goals complemented by a league-high six assists.

All the aforementioned players are expected to spearhead two star-studded teams that will take to the Bernabéu pitch full of desire and determined to win the first ELCLASICO of the season.