The one on March 19, 2023 was the last classic – in an official match – that FC Barcelona has beaten Real Madrid. Xavi Hernández’s team had just beaten the whites a year earlier in the League (4-9) and won the Super Cup final weeks before. Months later the League would sign up.
That period was like an oasis for FC Barcelona fans. In the last five years – we could place the start at the start of the 19/20 season – Real Madrid has dominated both in titles (2 Champions Leagues, 3 Leagues and 1 Cup) and in direct duels (10 white victories, 4 Blaugrana victories and 1 draw).
The last four direct confrontations (two in the League, one in the Super Cup and another in the Cup) fell on the Merengue side. Who to bet on this Saturday?
Real Madrid and Barça will arrive at the classic with low morale after their victories in the Champions League
Another Barça since the arrival of Flick
This background will have little influence when it comes to cheering this weekend. This Barça is different since the arrival of the German Hansi Flick to the bench. In fact, at this point few can remove him from the group of favorites to even win the Champions League.
He is the consolidated leader of the League since the first day. He comes from beating Bayern Munich, his bete noire, in the Champions League. Right now its ceiling is not recognized.
He will arrive at the Bernabéu riding the wave of the good streak of results. The good form of Raphina, Pedri and Lewandowski excites anyone and the return of Gavi to the team dynamic is the point of joy that the group needed. Ter Stegen, Araujo, Bernal, Ferrán Torres and Christensen miss out, due to their already known long-term injuries.
Madrid in their field must always start as favorites
No matter how well their rival is doing and no matter how bad Real Madrid is – which is not the case, moreover – no one can deny Real Madrid the title of favorite when the stage is the Santiago Bernabéu.
Last Tuesday, in the Champions League, Borussia Dortmund was the last team to suffer the so-called “Bernabeu mystique”. They went into halftime 0-2 and ended up beaten 5-2.
The thing about the white team in their stadium is something that cannot be explained, especially when it comes to Champions League matches. In the League reliability is not usually so regular, but Barça knows what it’s like to see a comeback.
Last season the two league classics fell on the white side when FC Barcelona had taken the lead on the scoreboard. At the Camp Nou, Bellingham’s goals turned around Gundogan’s goal. At the Bernabéu there was even more of a white epic: led by Lucas Vázquez, Ancelotti’s men came back twice to finish 3-2 in stoppage time.
The last-minute injury losses of Rodrygo and, above all, Courtois will influence Ancelotti’s strategy for the classic. Something that adds, even more, uncertainty to what the first official Madrid-Barça of the season will bring.
