La Liga: El Clasico Is Barca’s Chance to Shine

Barcelona vs Real Madrid

The first Clasico of the 2021-22 campaign is here, and it will be the highlight of the La Liga weekend as title favourites Real Madrid head to Barcelona for a Sunday showdown.

For all the Blaugrana’s recent troubles, El Clasico stands among the biggest games in the world, and the Catalans would love nothing more than to put one over their fierce rivals. There may be a start for summer signing Sergio Aguero who could really lift the mood at the Camp Nou.

Los Blancos come into the game on the back of a 5-0 win in the Champions League away to Shakhtar Donetsk while Barca had a must-win tie with Dynamo Kyiv which they navigated safely, 1-0, thanks to a first-half goal from centre-back Gerard Pique.

Neither side has started the season as well as they would have hoped but Real Madrid currently sit second in the La Liga table behind Real Sociedad and just two points ahead of seventh-placed Barcelona, so the hosts will be pushing hard for a win which would take them above Los Blancos and re-ignite their own title hopes.

Talking Points

Green shoots in Catalonia

A 3-1 win over Valencia last week ended a two-match losing sequence for Barcelona after they had stumbled in both the Champions League and La Liga. Following a defeat to Atletico Madrid the Catalans moved out to odds of 6.50 to win the league, third favourites behind the two Madrid clubs.

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Head coach Ronald Koeman is under pressure after poor La Liga 2021 results, but club was in turmoil when he joined in 2020, so he might well have more time to pull Barcelona through a period of transition.

This is a huge game for the boss and his players. A defeat would leave them five points behind Real and possibly Atletico too, and that is not a good place to be in so early in the season. But a win would take the Blaugrana above Los Blancos and there has been some recent encouragement for Koeman, with a couple of victories and returning players.

The win over Valencia was a great start, and there was a major boost for Blaugrana fans as Sergio Aguero made his long-awaited debut. He then made another appearance again in the Champions League victory over Dynamo Kyiv.

Memphis Depay has been leading the line in Aguero’s absence and has scored four goals. Ansu Fati has scored two goals in three appearances and, after missing most of last season through injury, his re-appearance is more good news for Barca fans.

At the tender age of 18, he is still too young to be hailed as the new Messi but comparisons are inevitable. Fati has just agreed a new six-year contract with a huge buy-out clause and Barca fans will hope he stays with the club for many seasons to come.

With Pedri injured and Ousmane Dembele still fighting for fitness, the goal threat to Los Blancos will come from Depay, Fati and… Sergio Aguero.

Real back with a bang!

After going three games in all competitions, without a win, Los Blancos registered a superb 5-0 win away to Shakhtar Donetsk on Tuesday as their own young sensation, Vinicius Junior, scored a brilliant brace.

Real Madrid are confident with in form Karim Benzama on their squad ahead of La Liga clash against Barcelona — Karim Benzema celebrates Real Madrid’s Champions League victory over Shakhtar Donetsk at NSC Olympiyskiy

Vinicius will start up front against Barca, alongside the in-form Karim Benzema. They have scored 14 league goals between them, five for Vinicius and nine for Benzema, and Pique and co will have to be on their game to keep this deadly duo quiet.

At SBOTOP odds of 1.90 to win the title, Los Blancos are now odds on, but things could change quickly if they slip up again after a 2-1 defeat to Espanyol halted their charge before the break. And head coach Carlo Ancelotti will be without Isco, Dani Ceballos, Dani Carvajal and Gareth Bale for this showcase match.

History

In the 73 encounters since 1994, the Catalans have had the upper hand with 32 victories to Real Madrid’s 22 and there have been 19 draws.

But the recent results have gone the way of Los Blancos, who have won the last three, most recently a 2-1 victory at the Santiago Bernabeu in April. Benzema and Toni Kroos gave the Whites a two-goal lead before Barca’s young centre-back Oscar Mingueza pulled one back in the second half, but it was no more than a consolation.

Barca’s home form will give their fans encouragement; they have won four and drawn one at the Camp Nou this season.

Betting Tip

	Barcelona vs Real Madrid	1X2 Barcelona @ 2.74
	October 24, 22:15 (GMT+8)

The La Liga 2021 betting odds tell us this epic clash is just too close to call, with the visitors marginal favourites at odds of 2.50 while the draw is at 3.11.

With fans back in the stadium the Barca faithful will turn the Camp Nou into a white-hot cauldron and their players will turn up the heat on Los Blancos. This is a chance for Barca to make a statement and I expect them to take it.