Good afternoon and welcome to MARCA’s live blog as we build up to the second Clasico of the season between Real Madrid and Barcelona on Saturday.
Ronald Koeman’s Barcelona side sit two points clear of Zinedine Zidane‘s charges, though both sides are behind LaLiga Santander leaders Atletico Madrid.
Earlier in the season, Real Madrid emerged 3-1 winners of the first Clasico of the 2020/21 campaign at the Camp Nou, and Barcelona‘s visit to the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano will be key in the race for the LaLiga Santander title.
20:30 CET – Pedri sends a warning!
Barcelona are preparing for Saturday’s Clasico against Real Madrid at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano, with Friday’s training session being marked by a brilliant Pedri goal.
During a finishing drill, the 18-year-old midfielder received the ball outside the box and unleashed a thunderous strike that ended into the top right corner.
19:30 CET – The venue for the Clasico
The Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano will host a Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid for the first time on Saturday, a few days after Jurgen Klopp’s remarks on Los Blancos’ temporary ground.
Klopp described the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano as a ‘training pitch’ upon his arrival for the first leg of Liverpool’s Champions League quarter-final tie against Real Madrid.
But it is much more than that! READ MORE HERE
18:30 CET – Laporta’s Clasico’s
Joan Laporta is back in charge of Barcelona, and in his previous stint as president at the Camp Nou, he oversaw many Clasico moments.
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17:30 CET – Courtois against Messi
Lionel Messi comes into Saturday’s Clasico without a goal in any of his last six games against Real Madrid, having not scored against Los Blancos since 2018.
Before this run, Messi had only once gone six Clasicos without scoring – failing to do so between April 2014 and December 2016. So, going goalless on Saturday would mean his longest dry spell against Real Madrid since breaking into the Barcelona first team.
Read More Here
16:30 CET – Real Madrid’s Clasico squad
As Zinedine Zidane warned in his pre-match press conference, Eden Hazard has not returned in time to be included in Real Madrid’s squad for Saturday night’s Clasico against Barcelona at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
The list is made up of the following players:Thibaut Courtois, Andriy Lunin, Diego Altube, Eder Militao, Nacho Fernandez, Marcelo, Alvaro Odriozola, Ferland Mendy, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Fede Valverde, Isco, Karim Benzema, Marco Asensio, Lucas Vazquez, Vinicius Junior, Mariano Diaz, Rodrygo Goes.
16:00 CET – Barcelona’s Clasico squad
Ronald Koeman has named Gerard Pique in Barcelona ‘s squad for Saturday night’s Clasico against Real Madrid at the Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano.
The list is made up of the following players: Ter Stegen, Iaki Pea, Arnau Tenas; Dest, Sergi Roberto, Piqu, Lenglet, Araujo, Mingueza, Umtiti, Jordi Alba, Junior; Busquets, De Jong, Pedri, Pjanic, Riqui Puig, Ilaix; Messi, Griezmann, Dembl, Trincao and Braithwaite.
15:30 CET – Koeman press conference
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman believes that some of the criticism that Real Madrid have received has been unwarranted.
“A Clasico is a different game to the others. Barcelona are doing well, [we] are on a good run, we are fighting to win,” Koeman said during Friday’s pre-Clasico press conference.
“Madrid have had too much criticism; they are in the Champions League and fighting for LaLiga. I’m not a supporter of the people who have criticised [them]. They have great players and it’s a great match. Both teams know the importance of winning.”
15:00 CET – Zidane press conference
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane does not want to see Lionel Messi leave Barcelona at the end of this season.
“I don’t want it to be Messi’s last Clasico,” Zidane said during Friday’s pre-Clasico press conference.
“Let him stay, let him stay at Barcelona. He’s good there. It’s good for LaLiga if he stays.”
14:30 CET – Where to watch El Clasico
Don’t miss a thing! Make sure you know where to watch and follow El Clasico on Saturday with our handy guide.
14:00 CET – Referee change
Antonio Mateu Lahoz will no longer referee this weekend’s Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona at Valdebebas after picking up an injury.
As such, the Professional Competition Refereeing Committee (CACP) have replaced him with Jesus Gil Manzano.
13:30 CET – Changes in attack
Everything suggests that both Ronald Koeman and Zinedine Zidane will shift away from their tried-and-trusted attacking tridents in Saturday’s Clasico.
As Barcelona trained ahead of the game, there was no sign of Koeman’s trident of Lionel Messi, Ousmane Dembele and Antoine Griezmann. Likewise, Real Madrid worked without any sign of Zidane opting for his attacking trio of Marco Asensio, Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior.
13:00 CET – The team leaders
This Saturday’s Clasico is going to be an exciting game between Real Madrid and Barcelona, and both teams have hugely decisive players leading their attacks in the form of Karim Benzema and Lionel Messi.
Each comes into the game in great form, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that the outcome of Saturday night’s match relies heavily on what they do.
PABLO POLO and LUIS F. ROJO explain how the pair will be key to the Clasico
