FC Barcelona’s La Liga title is on the line when it heads to the Bernabeu to deal with bitter competitors Real … [+] Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
Tracking its bitter competitors by 8 points, FC Barcelona has the La Liga title on the line when it heads to the Bernabeu to deal with Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
The Catalans are thought to be at a low point after being knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals in ruthless style by Paris Saint-Germain midweek.
According to Xavi Hernandez, nevertheless, the group “experienced better” on Friday and was “still in high spirits after the PSG video game”.
“May the anger and dissatisfaction of a few days ago assist us to play excellent football,” he required at his pre-match interview, where he confessed to making mistakes versus the Ligue 1 clothing
“But in advance, we’ll have an extremely strong and strengthened Real Madrid.”
“Madrid will push in the very first minutes of each half. We need to be extremely brave with the ball. It’s the ideal setting to reveal character and whatever we’ve dealt with. The very first couple of minutes will be crucial,” the outbound head coach likewise discussed.
When it comes to his line up, Xavi will field basically the exact same side that took an early 1-0 lead versus PSG, and after that buckled to lose 4-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate after Ronald Araujo was red-carded.
The Uruguayan will begin in main defense partnered by 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, as Joao Cancelo and Jules Kounde are the left and ideal backs.
One significant modification in the midfield is that Pedri is dropped, indicating Andreas Christensen can return as pivot behind a duo of Ilkay Gundogan and Frenkie de Jong.
Up top, it is a cutting edge of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha from ideal to left.
With PSG out of the method, and the La Liga title Barca won in spring in 2015 efficiently on the line, Xavi is under no impression that “for us, it’s the most essential video game of the season”.
“We need to win. If we win we would be 5 points behind. That’s the situation we had actually like. We’re going to attempt to complete, and win at the Bernabeu,” he swore.
FC Barcelona First XI Vs. Real Madrid: Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Araujo, Kounde; Christsensen, De Jong, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine