Haunted by their failures of last season, Real Madrid will be desperate to secure a victory over Barcelona in the first El Clásico of 2025–26.
Real Madrid made some unwanted history in Carlo Ancelotti’s final campaign in charge; for the first time in club history, Los Blancos lost four Clásicos in a single season. Barcelona came out on top in the Spanish Super Cup final, the Copa del Rey final and twice in La Liga against their bitter rivals.
The 15-time European Champions will want nothing more than to snap their four-game losing streak against the defending Spanish champions. A win in the biggest match in Spanish football comes with pride, bragging rights and an early command of the La Liga title race.
Xabi Alonso will have some tough decisions to make in his first El Clásico in charge. Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy are all back from injury, and it’s up to the new boss to decide which, if any, of the defensemen should get the nod on Sunday afternoon.
Here’s what Real Madrid’s XI could look like against Barcelona.






