Barcelona hope to extend their four-game winning streak against Real Madrid when they make the trip to the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday.
The Catalans have a flawless El Clásico record under Hansi Flick. Barcelona clashed with Real Madrid four times across all competitions in 2024–25 and walked away with victories in each match.
The defending Spanish champions currently find themselves trailing their bitter rivals in the La Liga standings, though, after dropping points against Rayo Vallecano and Sevilla this season. Yet one win over Los Blancos will see Barcelona reclaim first place in the Spanish top-flight.
Three points against Xabi Alonso’s men will not come easy, especially given long list of injuries plaguing the Catalans. Joan García, Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Dani Olmo are all ruled out of the clash, and Jules Koundé remains a doubt.
Here’s what Barcelona’s XI could look like against Real Madrid.
Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid (4-2-3-1)
GK: Wojciech Szczęsny—Barcelona have never lost to Real Madrid with Szczęsny between the posts. The experienced keeper is still seeking his first clean sheet in El Clásico, though.
RB: Eric García—Koundé is Flick’s first choice on the right flank, but the Frenchman missed training on Friday, leaving the door open for García to get the nod.
CB: Ronald Araújo—If García is forced to play at right back, expect the Uruguayan to return to the XI despite playing limited minutes in October.
CB: Pau Cubarsí—The teenager must be at his best to silence Kylian Mbappé, who already has 18 goals to his name for both club and country this season.
LB: Alejandro Balde—Balde has had a rather inconsistent 2025–26 so far, but the Spaniard’s past success against Real Madrid will be all the confidence he needs come Sunday.
DM: Pedri—The 22-year-old is the key to controlling the tempo of the game for Barcelona. Pedri also comes into the all-important clash with a goal contribution in each of his last three games for the Catalans.
DM: Frenkie de Jong—All signs point to De Jong partnering Pedri in the midfield despite missing training in the buildup to El Clásico due to illness.
RW: Lamine Yamal—Yamal loves to make a statement against Real Madrid. The teenager recorded five goal contributions against Los Blancos last season.
AM: Fermín López—Fresh off scoring a hat trick against Olympiacos, López will hope to bring his goalscoring form to the Santiago Bernabéu as he continues to fill in for Olmo.
LW: Marcus Rashford—With Raphinha unavailable, Rashford gets the nod on the left wing in his first El Clásico. The England international has been a bright spot for Barcelona this season, recording nine goal contributions in 12 appearances.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Barcelona Predicted Lineup vs. Real Madrid: Lamine Yamal Poised for El Clasico Glory.
