MADRID, SPAIN — Real Madrid will be gunning for revenge and redemption when they host Barcelona in Sunday’s La Liga Clasico, hoping to end a painful run of four straight defeats to their arch-rivals.
Led by in-form striker Kylian Mbappe, Madrid head into the clash two points ahead of Barcelona at the top of the table, with new coach Xabi Alonso looking to make a statement early in his reign.
Last season, Hansi Flick’s Barcelona swept all four meetings between the two sides — winning both league encounters, the Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup finals — a dominance that ultimately cost Carlo Ancelotti his job.
Alonso has steadied the ship, but questions remain over Madrid’s ability to perform in big games. Los Blancos suffered a Club World Cup semi-final defeat to PSG and a heavy 5–2 loss to Atletico Madrid earlier this season.
A victory on Sunday would not only open up a five-point gap over Barcelona but also silence growing doubts about Madrid’s consistency in marquee fixtures.
Mbappe’s blistering form
Mbappe has been in sensational form, scoring in 11 consecutive matches for club and country before Wednesday’s Champions League win over Juventus, where Jude Bellingham netted the decisive goal.
The 26-year-old forward has 10 La Liga goals this season — half of Madrid’s total — and 15 across all competitions, leading Spain’s scoring charts. “We’re not dependent on him,” insisted coach Alonso, though the statistics suggest otherwise. “We are very happy with his performance — he’s being decisive.”
Lessons from last season
Mbappe’s first Clasico a year ago ended in frustration, as he was caught offside eight times during a 4–0 home defeat. But after a tough adaptation period, he has since found his rhythm and confidence.
He scored in the Spanish Super Cup and Copa del Rey finals last season and netted a hat-trick in Madrid’s narrow 4–3 loss at the Olympic Stadium in May.
This season, Mbappe’s growing understanding with Turkish playmaker Arda Guler has added another dimension to Madrid’s attack. “Arda gets between the lines and finds Mbappe’s runs perfectly,” Alonso said.
With Barcelona struggling defensively this season, Real Madrid believe they can exploit spaces in behind with Mbappe’s blistering pace and precision finishing.
Key stats
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10 – Real Madrid’s consecutive home wins in all competitions (joint longest in a decade)
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44 – Offsides drawn by Barcelona this season, the most in Europe’s top five leagues
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105–104 – Real Madrid lead Barcelona in all-time Clasico wins, with 52 draws
Fixture highlight
Sunday (1415 GMT): Real Madrid vs Barcelona – Santiago Bernabeu
Los Blancos will look to their French superstar to inspire a statement win — and finally end Barcelona’s recent Clasico stranglehold.
