Barcelona and Real Madrid clash this weekend in a game that could have major implications on where the La Liga title ends up at the end of the season.
Barca are currently nine points clear of their fiercest rivals having won 21 of their 25 league games to date. Real have stuttered somewhat domestically but did defeat Barca in their first league meeting this season and will be buoyed by their progression past Liverpool and into the quarter finals of the Champions League.
The game is the third game of a four-part series between the sides with Barca having defeated Real in the Spanish Super Cup final and in the first leg of their Spanish Cup semi-final. A win or draw here would almost certainly seal a first league crown since 2019, while three points for Real would breathe life back into the title race.
Here is everything you need to know as Barcelona and Real Madrid face off once more in El Clásico.
When do Barcelona play Real Madrid?
The match takes place on Sunday March 19th with a kick-off time of 8pm (UK time).
Where will Barcelona vs Real Madrid be played?
The match will be played at the Nou Camp, where Barca have yet to lose in the league this season, dropping just four points to date.
Can you watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid on TV?
Yes, the match will be available to watch live on ViaPlay 1 with coverage starting from 7:30pm (UK time).
For Sky viewers, that is channel 412 while for Virgin viewers, it’s channel 551.
Can Barcelona vs Real Madrid be streamed?
ViaPlay subscribers will be able to watch the match live from the ViaPlay app, which can be downloaded for free onto mobile or tablet.
Non-subscribers can purchase a Viaplay monthly pass for £14.99, which will grant you unlimited access to all sports, series and films available on Viaplay for one month.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid history
The game is arguably the biggest in world football, with the two clubs long battling for supremacy in both Spain and Europe. Their football battles represent a much wider rivalry, with Barcelona being the centre of the Catalonian independence movement and Madrid the capital of the country and home to the government, king and so on.
Overall Head to Head record
The two giants have played each other on 252 official occasions since their first meeting 1902, with another 34 unofficial matches taking place.
Of the 252, Real hold the slight advantage with 102 wins to Barca’s 99. The other 51 games have ended in draws, via Transfermarkt.
Players to have played for both clubs
The ferociousness of the rivalry has meant few players have worn the colours of both famous clubs but there have been some notable exceptions.
The most famous transfer between the two clubs took place in 2000, when Luis Figo swapped Catalonia for the capital in a then-world record transfer. It sent tremors across the rivalry and the country, and saw Figo go from hero to ultimate villain overnight among his once beloved fanbase.
Other greats to don the shirts of both iconic clubs include Ronaldo (the Brazilian one), Michael Laudrup, Samuel Eto’o, Javier Saviola and Luis Enrique, the latter captaining and managing Barca after his switch from Real.
None of these players received abuse anywhere near that of Figo, who infamously had a severed pig’s head thrown at him in 2002 during a game at the Nou Camp.
There has not been a hint of movement across the divide in recent years, and you can understand why.
Last five meetings (all competitions)
- 2nd March, 2023: Real Madrid 0-1 Barcelona – Spanish Cup semi final first leg
- 15th January, 2023: Real Madrid 1-3 Barcelona – Spanish Super Cup final
- 16th October, 2022: Real Madrid 3-1 Barcelona – La Liga
- 20th March, 2022: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona – La Liga
- 12th January, 2022: Barcelona 2-3 Real Madrid – Spanish Super Cup semi final
Form Guide – last five games in all competitions
Barcelona: W-W-W-L-L – Barca have rebounded from a 2-1 loss to Manchester United, which knocked them out of the Europa League, and a shock 1-0 defeat at Almeria with three victories, all 1-0s. The Spanish Cup semi final first leg win at the Bernabeu was the pick of the lot, while wins against Valencia and Athletic Bilbao has seen them go nine clear in the league.
Real Madrid: W-W-D-L-D – Real finished off Liverpool in the Champions League, a 1-0 home victory giving them a resounding 6-2 aggregate win, which followed a 3-1 home win in the league over Espanyol. Before that, draws with Real Betis and Atletico Madrid bookended that loss to Barca.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Team News
Barca are set to be without Pedri with the game coming just too soon for the young star. Ousmane Dembele is their only other major injury concern, meaning Xavi has quite the squad to choose from, via Transfermarkt.
Both David Alaba and Ferland Mendy are out for the big game, which will see Nacho continue in the auxiliary left back role he has played in recent weeks, via Transfermarkt.
Predicted Lineups
Barcelona Predicted Starting XI: ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; Busquets, Gavi, de Jong; Raphinha, Torres, Lewandowski
Real Madrid Predicted Starting XI: Courtois; Carvajal, Rudiger, Militao, Nacho; Camavinga, Kroos, Modric; Vinicius Jr., Valverde, Benzema
Prediction
Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid: Real need to win so expect them to be gunning for goals from the outset. This should make for a cracking game and a result that will likely ensure the title for Barca.
