Sport

El Clásico could see Madrid outclassed

The week before El Clásico is so often overflowing with narrative. So often over recent years, Barcelona and Real Madrid, while previously seen as equals split by different values, have been getting further and further apart in terms of competitiveness.

Crippling financial issues and a precarious ability to simply keep on going mean that there is very little belief that Barcelona can remain a force long term. While Madrid, in an age of state owned rivals and inflating transfer fees, have successfully and smartly remained kings of the transfer market, not only creating their own superstars through signing youngsters like Vinicius Junior – now favourite for the Ballon d’Or – and Endrick, but using their pulling power as the biggest club in the world to sign top talent like Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. The trajectory of the two clubs could not have been more stark over recent seasons. It was another stellar season for Madrid last year, winning La Liga and the Champions League.

But does that make Saturday’s meeting at the Santiago Bernabeu a foregone conclusion? Far from it.

This season has been difficult for Madrid. Although they are unbeaten in La Liga and flexed their muscles in Europe against Borussia Dortmund this week – coming back from 2-0 down at half time to win 5-2 courtesy of a Vinicius hat-trick – Carlo Ancelotti has been battling with a number of issues. They’ve looked unconvincing at times, drawing three league games already and losing at Lille in the Champions League; goal scoring has become an issue – they’ve scored 21 in La Liga, the second most, but a distance behind Barcelona’s 33. Some would say unsurprisingly, given Bellingham’s impressive debut season came with him playing in a more advanced role than this season, but he and Mbappe have struggled to gel.

The Spanish media are notoriously cut-throat and it is testament to Ancelotti’s suitability to the Madrid job that he can take that scrutiny and find a way to balance a team of highly-paid talented young footballers with big egos all with his trademark cool, calm swagger. But to sum up the discussion around Madrid at the moment, one report suggested the club were ‘devastated’ by Mbappe’s early impact and regretted signing him, while another called out Bellingham and said he was being outshone by Mbappe.

Madrid is a circus like no other, where instant gratification is in overdrive. Ancelotti is said be in line to be replaced next summer with Xabi Alonso widely expected to take over, but they’ve sacked him once already and rehired him; very few people have succeeded in a way he has at the Santiago Bernabeu, and even fewer have made it look so easy. Ancelotti shouldn’t be taken for granted.

But defeat in the Clásico would feel like a seminal moment; it would also put them six points behind their rivals at this stage in the title race. For all of the underlying flaws at Barcelona, and the astonishingly poor management of Xavi’s exit as coach, Hansi Flick has started well. Reuniting with Robert Lewandowski has done the 36-year-old the world of good; he looks as strong as ever, scoring 10 league goals so far in a team that is playing with so much freedom, brimming with confidence after a 4-1 win over Bayern Munich, Flick and Lewandowski’s former club, this week.

Once again Barcelona have been bailed out of big problems by La Masía, their youth academy. At the height of their peak under Pep Guardiola, the spine of the team was built from within with world class talent, led of course by Lionel Messi. There is a long way to go, but that is already shaping up for the future, with Pau Cubarsi in defence, midfielders Pedri and Gavi, and Lamine Yamal, who looks every bit capable of one day shouldering Messi’s former responsibilities, reaching levels of consistency even the man many believe to be the greatest player ever wasn’t at the age of just 17.

By virtue of their squad quality and depth and home advantage, Madrid should be seen as favourites. But perhaps the gulf in class narrative that has formed over recent years could be debunked. It is a crucial game for the hosts if they want to quell the growing rumbles of discontent.