Barcelona vs Real Madrid
Competition: Spanish Primera Division
Date: Saturday, April 02 2016
Start Time: 19:30 BST - 2:30 PM
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona team are nine points clear at the top of the table and 10 points in front of Real and they can virtually seal the title with a win here with just eight games remaining. The Blaugrana failed to get all the three points for the first time after the first match for 2016 (0:0 vs Espanyol) last time out when they dropped a 2-0 lead against Villarreal before the International break. Anyway, Enrique's men enter El Clasico on the back of 11 consecutive home wins, scoring 43 goals in them and unbeaten at home for more than one year.
Messi, Neymar and Suarez have all returned without injury but defender Mathieu is out for the rest of the season. Adriano is a certain absentee while Jordi Alba is a major doubt but should start the match. Andres Iniesta was not called into the latest Spain squad after suffering with a slight muscular problem, but he is expected to start alongside Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic in the middle of the park.
Competition: Spanish Primera Division
Date: Saturday, April 02 2016
Start Time: 19:30 BST - 2:30 PM
Venue: Camp Nou, Barcelona, Spain
Barcelona team are nine points clear at the top of the table and 10 points in front of Real and they can virtually seal the title with a win here with just eight games remaining. The Blaugrana failed to get all the three points for the first time after the first match for 2016 (0:0 vs Espanyol) last time out when they dropped a 2-0 lead against Villarreal before the International break. Anyway, Enrique's men enter El Clasico on the back of 11 consecutive home wins, scoring 43 goals in them and unbeaten at home for more than one year.
Messi, Neymar and Suarez have all returned without injury but defender Mathieu is out for the rest of the season. Adriano is a certain absentee while Jordi Alba is a major doubt but should start the match. Andres Iniesta was not called into the latest Spain squad after suffering with a slight muscular problem, but he is expected to start alongside Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic in the middle of the park.
Real Madrid is third in the table with 66 points having won 20 games, drawn 6 and lost 4. They are on their best run of form since Zinedine Zidane's appointment, with four successive wins since a 1-0 home loss to Atletico. The Galacticos come into the El Clasico on the back of a stunning 4-0 win over Sevilla with Karim Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Jese all getting on the score sheet. Anyway, given that they are already out of the Spanish Cup due to disqualification and the title all but in Barcelona’s hands, we expect Real Madrid team putting more focus on the upcoming UCL match. Sergio Ramos and Pepe both return from suspension and will be included in the starting XI. Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale were not involved in the recent international break and both are expected to join Cristiano Ronaldo in the final third. A more defensive midfielder such as Casemiro is favourite to start with Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, ahead of Isco and James Rodriguez.
In the reverse fixture earlier this season FC Barça clearly outplayed Real and walked away with all three points in an impressive 4-0 win at the Bernabeu when Los Blancos were still under Rafa Benitez. Recent history favours the hosts as the Catalans have won four of the last six Clasicos while Madrid have only won one of their seven previous trips to Barcelona.
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