Barcelona target record 10th straight win as Mourinho's Real Madrid visit Camp Nou
Barcelona aim to set a La Liga record with a 10th consecutive win to open the season, while Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid look to halt the run and close the gap at Camp Nou.
Barcelona can make La Liga history on Sunday by beating Real Madrid at Camp Nou to record a 10th straight victory to start the league season, surpassing the mark set by Real Madrid in 1968-69. Hansi Flick's side enter El Clasico after a 4-2 Champions League defeat by Paris St-Germain, a result Mourinho's men will hope to exploit.
Mourinho downplayed his team's recent form, including two 4-1 wins over Sevilla and RB Leipzig, saying the Clasico is different and past results carry no influence. He noted his third-placed side, six points behind Barcelona, has had only about three months together and is still adapting to his methods, adding that "Madrid with Mourinho wins trophies." He also rejected overhauling his approach solely to contain Lamine Yamal.
Six of this year's 30 Ballon d'Or nominees are available: Barcelona's Pau Cubarsi, Rodri and Lamine Yamal, and Real Madrid's Marc Cucurella, Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. Cucurella could face Spain team-mate Yamal, while Cubarsi may renew his rivalry with Mbappe, who has 12 goals in 12 appearances this season. Rodri and Bellingham could meet in midfield. Vinicius Jr is suspended for the visitors.
Flick said his players have recovered and are ready, calling El Clasico the best match the sport offers. He warned that Real Madrid have great quality in the final third and are among the best at set-pieces, stressing positioning, compactness and better defending than in Paris.
Barcelona have scored 50 goals in 12 games but conceded 15, raising questions about their defensive solidity. A win would lift them nine points clear of Real; defeat of their record bid would cut the gap to three.
Supporters see the fixture as a chance for Mourinho's side to capitalise on Barcelona's European setback and derail the record chase, though such views reflect fan opinion rather than confirmed outcomes.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
