The latest instalment of El Clasico takes place at Barcelona's temporary Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys home when top-of-the-table Real Madrid visit on Saturday.
Always one of the standout fixtures in Europe, this particular El Clasico will have a different feel to it with Barca playing away from the iconic Camp Nou this season while it is being renovated.
Real arrive as La Liga leaders due to a record of eight wins, one draw and one defeat from their first 10 matches, but they're only a point clear of unbeaten Barca, who have won seven of their first 10, drawing the other three.
Xavi's men have adapted well to their temporary surroundings, winning their first six matches at the venue in the Montjuic region of the city, with five of those victories being to nil.
However, their impressive winning sequence may come to an end against old foes Real, who will be determined to take something from the game to ensure they stay ahead of their rivals at the top of the table.
- Draw
- Over 8.5 total corners
- Jude Bellingham to score anytime
Rare Draw On The Cards
There is usually a winner when the two famous La Liga giants meet, with the last El Clasico draw coming way back in December 2019 when it finished goalless at the Camp Nou.
There was a win apiece in La Liga last season, with Barca triumphing 2-1 at home and Real winning 3-1 in the earlier fixture, but Real had the upper hand in the Copa del Rey when they memorably won 4-0 at Barca in the semi-final second leg to wipe out the Catalans' 1-0 first-leg lead.
Real went on to win the cup in May, but Barca were crowned league champions as they finished 10 points clear of second-placed Los Blancos but from what we have seen so far this season there is little to choose between them.
Barca's only blemishes in La Liga to date have been draws with Getafe, Mallorca and Granada, while they also won their first two games in the Champions League group stage, beating Antwerp 5-0 and Porto 1-0.
Real's solitary league defeat came at the hands of city rivals Atletico in September when they lost 3-1 and a 1-1 draw last Saturday at Sevilla is the only other time they have failed to win this season.
BARCELONA AND REAL MADRID TO DRAW
Corner Count Could Be High
As you would expect, both Barcelona and Real tend to dominate their games and therefore they enjoy plenty of the ball in attacking areas.
Often that comes with them earning several corners and they both average over six corners per game this season in La Liga (Barcelona 6.60, Real 6.30).
Real won six corners away at Sevilla at the weekend, while there were 11 corners in total in Barca's home clash with Athletic Club, when they won 1-0 on Sunday.
There were 13 corners when these two met in a summer friendly in Texas in the USA in July and the most recent league clash in March produced nine corners, so backing at least nine again this weekend could be the way to go.
Bellingham The Man For The Occasion
Jude Bellingham has been a revelation for Real since his huge summer move from Borussia Dortmund, with the England international living up to the hype surrounding him in sensational fashion by scoring 11 goals in just 12 appearances in all competitions.
The midfielder has made crucial interventions already in several games, scoring late winners against Celta Vigo and Getafe in the league and Union Berlin in the Champions League, while his all-round performances have been superb.
The former Birmingham City youngster has settled into life with Los Blancos ridiculously easily and he will want to make his mark in one of the biggest club games in the world.
Bellingham has been the first goalscorer in three matches this season and, while it would be no surprise to see him break the deadlock again on Saturday, the safer play might be to back the 20-year-old to find the net anytime.
JUDE BELLINGHAM TO SCORE ANYTIME
