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Good afternoon and welcome to MARCA in English’s El Clasico live blog for Real Madrid vs Barcelona. It’s the big one, the standout fixture of the LaLiga Santander weekend and the one many of you have been looking forward to all week.
Real Madrid host eternal rivals Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for their first clash of the season and it promises to be a fascinating one, with the teams neck and neck at the top of LaLiga Santander. With identical records – seven wins, one draw, no defeats – Los Blancos and the Blaugrana are only separated by goal difference as things stand.
It is today’s visitors, Barcelona, who lead the way at this early point in the season, having conceded just one goal in LaLiga Santander. Since that Alexander Isak strike back in August, no domestic rival has been able to score against Xavi Hernandez’s team.
In the early part of the campaign, the Catalans were sweeping teams aside, defeating Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Valladolid and Cadiz by margins of three goals or more. Since their opening-day draw at home to Rayo Vallecano, they have been unstoppable.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, while scoring just one goal fewer than Barcelona, have conceded six more, only keeping one clean sheet in LaLiga Santander in these first eight games. That was, however, last weekend, so perhaps Carlo Ancelotti’s side have turned the corner defensively.
Los Blancos’ only dropped points domestically came two weeks ago, at home to Osasuna. Perhaps, most notably, though, they have already tasted derby victory this season, winning 2-1 away to Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona have yet to face a test of that magnitude, domestically at least. They beat Sevilla comfortably earlier in the season, but that was before their change of coach and turnaround in fortunes.
Line up for Barcelona
Line up for Real Madrid
Watch live match here
Watch live match here
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