Barcelona will host Real Madrid at Camp Nou in round 10 of La Liga at 03:00 Vietnam time on 26 October. In Spain, that is Sunday evening, 25 October. Hansi Flick's side have won all nine league games and lead the table on 27 points, while José Mourinho's Madrid are third on 21 after two defeats, Bongdaplus reported. For several of Barcelona's new signings, it will be their first clásico.
A first clásico for the newcomers
SGGP credited imports from English football such as Rodri and Anthony Gordon with a big part in Barcelona's perfect league start. Rodri, 30, returned to La Liga in the summer after seven years at Manchester City, and the game carries extra meaning for the Spain captain because he had been linked with Real Madrid. He said, as reported by SGGP, that he was excited and could not wait to experience the fixture for the first time, having watched it on television since he was a boy.
The World Cup 2026 winner also warned his teammates not to be fooled by Madrid's form. One of their greatest strengths, he said, is making opponents believe they are not that good, but they could not fool Barcelona, or at least not him. According to Bongda24h, Rodri made the comments to ESPN.
Gordon, who made his name at Newcastle before joining Barcelona for around €80m, said the idea of a favourite means little in games like this and that the result could go either way (SGGP). Bongda24h reported that centre-back Pau Cubarsí and midfielder Gavi also struck a cautious note: Cubarsí said the points gap was significant but the season long, and Gavi warned that a lead can vanish in two or three games. Rodri played down the pressure of defending the title, saying Barcelona had not set specific targets such as winning La Liga or the Champions League.
Barcelona come in off their first defeat of the season, a 4-2 loss at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League in midweek that ended an 11-match winning run in all competitions (SGGP). The Guardian reported that Flick admitted prioritising the clásico in that game, leaving out Rodri and taking off Pedri and Raphinha early.
Mourinho plays down the comparison
In pre-match comments reported by Bongda24h, Mourinho said the praise for Barcelona did not affect him and was not his concern. He accepted they deserved it but argued that Madrid had trained with him for only three months, with players arriving at different times in pre-season, so comparing them with a side that has been together for years was unfair. He also insisted his new beard had nothing to do with superstition.
The Guardian's Sid Lowe described a Mourinho who is older and calmer but still playing the hits. After defeat at Betis he questioned a refereeing decision; after losing to Atlético Madrid he turned up with a printout. After Vinícius Júnior had a goal against Villarreal ruled out and was sent off for pulling Nathan Saliba's hair, Mourinho skipped the press conference so as not to risk a ban for the clásico. Vinícius received a four-game suspension and misses the game.
“The clásico is just another game in the championship but to say it’s a game like any other would be to lie, totally unreal,” Mourinho said on Wednesday. Madrid have looked sharper lately, according to The Guardian: they came from 3-1 down to beat Roma 4-3, then scored four against Sevilla and four more against RB Leipzig on Wednesday after Mourinho turned to a set-up featuring Arda Güler, Yan Diomande and Fede Valverde at right-back. Mourinho also complained that Madrid have a day less rest. “We need to cut the gap and we can only do that by winning,” goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said of the six-point deficit. Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, for his part, is looking forward to seeing Mourinho again. “I love the needle,” he said.
The numbers
| Stat | Barcelona | Real Madrid |
|---|---|---|
| Position | 1 | 3 |
| Points after 9 rounds | 27 | 21 |
| Goals scored | 39 | 23 |
| Goals conceded | 9 | 9 |
| Opta win probability | 54.4% | 26.1% |
Sources: Bongdaplus (La Liga and Opta figures), The Guardian (table).
Bongdaplus said the remaining probability goes to a draw, and noted that in 11 La Liga meetings since 2021 the pre-match underdog won four times, twice each. Atlético Madrid are second on 22 points, according to the table published with The Guardian's piece.
Mourinho and Camp Nou: a timeline
Compiled from The Guardian's analysis:
- 30 years ago: Mourinho first arrived at Camp Nou as Bobby Robson's translator.
- 2010: appointed by Real Madrid on the day he won the Champions League with Inter, after sprinting across the Camp Nou pitch in celebration during the semi-final.
- His first clásico as Madrid coach ended in a 5-0 defeat.
- 2011: the Champions League semi-final between the clubs, when he asked why European referees favoured Barcelona.
- 2013: his last visit to Camp Nou, then as the most famous manager in football.
- This season: back in charge of Madrid; on Wednesday night he said he had been there only 105 days.
What's next
Kick-off is at 03:00 ICT on 26 October. Barcelona lead Madrid by six points and are chasing a third straight La Liga title (Bongda24h), though Flick has injury concerns at the back (The Guardian) and Madrid are without Vinícius. For more background, see Barcelona's build-up to the clásico and Mourinho's defence of Vinícius.