Sport
Sunday’s Clasico could be the start of a new era of the Barca-Real Madrid rivalry
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo turned matches between Barcelona and Real Madrid into must-watch events. Of course, the rivalry started decades beforehand with the political and cultural differences between the two clubs stark, but El Clasico felt like the pinnacle of the sport for a decade as Barca and Real Madrid dominated Spanish and European football.
Some of the sparkle has been lost in recent years with Messi and Ronaldo moving on, but there’s a growing sense that Barcelona and Real Madrid are gearing up for another era of dominance. Sunday’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu could be the start of a new chapter in the long history of the rivalry.
Barcelona and Real Madrid will kick off the match joint on points at the top of La Liga with both sides enjoying a strong start to the 2022/23 campaign. The outcome of Sunday’s Clasico could set the tone for the rest of the season. Fixtures between Barca and Real Madrid always matter, but this particular match has heavier context than most.
A victory for Xavi Hernandez’s visitors to the Spanish capital would make a statement about the improvements made by Barcelona. Not so long ago, the Catalans were concerned with merely staying within touching distance of Real Madrid, but a comprehensive squad rebuild has lifted expectations at the Camp Nou.
Robert Lewandowski has settled in quickly following his summer switch from Bayern Munich with the Polish striker scoring nine goals in his first nine La Liga appearances. Pedri continues to grow as one of the brightest young talents in the sport right now while Ousmane Dembele is finally fulfilling the potential he showed earlier in his career.
Real Madrid have also future-proofed their team with 22-year-old Aurelien Tchouameni flourishing at the base of Carlo Ancelotti’s midfield this season after the summer departure of Casemiro. This came a year after Los Blancos signed Eduardo Camavinga to give their central unit more energy and drive.
Fede Valverde has taken his game to new heights this season with the Uruguayan the glue that holds Real Madrid’s midfield and attack together. He also offers crucial coverage for Dani Carvajal at right back, something that will be important against Barcelona’s wingers on Sunday. Valverde has also found a scoring touch, netting four times so far this season.
There are similarities between the two rivals and the way they have constructed their squads over the last few years. Both teams like to play a 4-3-3 with central strikers who so much of their play. While Barcelona have Ansu Fati and Dembele, Real Madrid have Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior to produce something out of nothing.
The midfield battle will go a long way to deciding Sunday’s Clasico. While Xavi Hernandez’s approach is rooted in the ‘tiki-taka’ principles of Pep Guardiola, his Barcelona team are prepared to match opponents physically. They’ll need to do this against Real Madrid who will have plenty of physicality through the likes of Camavinga, Tchouameni and Valverde.
If Barcelona are weaker in one area it could be in their mindset as a group. While Xavi’s team have played some excellent football this season, they have shown themselves to be mentally fragile, as demonstrated by the way Barca dropped out of the second half of last weekend’s 1-0 home win over Celta Vigo.
As reigning Spanish and European champions, Ancelotti’s team certainly have experience on their side, but the first Clasico of this season is about the future. Barcelona and Real Madrid are both in the midst of a generational transition, but Sunday’s match in the Spanish capital could move the rivalry into a new era.
