FC Barcelona’s La Liga title is on the line when it heads to the Bernabeu to face bitter rivals Real … [+] Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
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Trailing its bitter rivals by eight points, FC Barcelona has the La Liga title on the line when it heads to the Bernabeu to face Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
The Catalans are believed to be at a low point after being knocked out of the Champions League quarterfinals in brutal fashion by Paris Saint-Germain midweek.
According to Xavi Hernandez, however, the team “trained much better” on Friday and was “still in high spirits after the PSG game”.
“May the anger and disappointment of the other day help us to play very good football,” he demanded at his pre-match press conference, where he admitted to making errors against the Ligue 1 outfit.
“But up front, we’ll have a very strong and reinforced Real Madrid.”
“Madrid will press in the first minutes of each half. We have to be very brave with the ball. It’s the perfect setting to show personality and everything we’ve worked on. The first few minutes will be key,” the outgoing head coach also explained.
As for his line up, Xavi will field pretty much the same side that took an early 1-0 lead against PSG, and then buckled to lose 4-1 on the night and 6-4 on aggregate after Ronald Araujo was red-carded.
The Uruguayan will start in central defense partnered by 17-year-old Pau Cubarsi, as Joao Cancelo and Jules Kounde are the left and right backs.
One major change in the midfield is that Pedri is dropped, meaning Andreas Christensen can return as pivot behind a duo of Ilkay Gundogan and Frenkie de Jong.
Up top, it is a front line of Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha from right to left.
With PSG out of the way, and the La Liga title Barca won in spring last year effectively on the line, Xavi is under no illusion that “for us, it’s the most important game of the season”.
“We have to win. If we win we would be five points behind. That’s the scenario we’d like. We’re going to try to compete, and win at the Bernabeu,” he vowed.
FC Barcelona First XI Vs. Real Madrid: Ter Stegen; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Araujo, Kounde; Christsensen, De Jong, Gundogan; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Lamine
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