Preview: Barcelona vs Real Madrid - prediction, team news, lineups

Barcelona will welcome bitter rivals Real Madrid to Camp Nou on Sunday evening knowing that a point would see them confirmed as La Liga champions for the 2025-26 campaign.

The Catalan outfit are currently 11 points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid in the La Liga table, meaning that only a miracle will allow Los Blancos to win the championship from this position.

Match preview

While there has been chaos at Real Madrid of late, it has been relatively smooth sailing for a Barcelona side that are closing in on another La Liga title, and there is little doubting that they have been the best team in Spain's top flight during the 2025-26 campaign.

Barcelona have won 29, drawn one and lost four of their 34 league matches this season to collect 88 points, and they have been victorious in each of their last 10 La Liga fixtures, including a 2-1 success over Osasuna in their last game at the start of May.

The Catalan outfit beat Real Madrid 3-2 in the last meeting between the two sides in January, which came in the final of the Spanish Super Cup, but it was 2-1 to Real Madrid when the pair locked horns in the reverse La Liga contest at Bernabeu back in October 2025.

In all competitions, Barcelona have won five of the last six meetings between the two teams, but Real Madrid have won five of their last 10 contests, including a 4-0 at Camp Nou in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey in April 2023.

Barcelona will certainly want to be confirmed as champions against their bitter rivals this weekend, but even a defeat would leave them incredibly comfortable in the table, with a Los Blancos win making the gap eight points with only three games left to play.

Real Madrid's week has been dominated by the altercation which occurred between captain Federico Valverde and key midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni on Thursday; Valverde needed to visit hospital as a result of the incident, and a 'traumatic brain injury' will keep him out for potentially the next two weeks.

The club's dressing room is in turmoil, with Kylian Mbappe said to have a fractured relationship with his teammates, and Real Madrid are set to end another season without a major trophy, but they will be determined to come together to upset Barcelona in El Clasico.

Real Madrid have fell short in the Champions League this season, just like Barcelona, while they have simply dropped too many points in La Liga, sitting 11 points off the summit at this stage, and the capital outfit are seemingly destined for the runners-up spot.

Alvaro Arbeloa's side will enter this match off the back of a 2-0 success over Espanyol, and they have managed to pick up seven points from their last three league games.

Real Madrid desperately need a manager capable of bringing their dressing room together this summer, and the latest indications are that Jose Mourinho could be set for a sensational return.

Barcelona La Liga form:

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Barcelona form (all competitions):

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Real Madrid La Liga form:

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Real Madrid form (all competitions):

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Team News

Barcelona are without the services of superstar Lamine Yamal for the remainder of the season due to a hamstring injury, but their squad is otherwise in strong shape, with long-term absentee Andreas Christensen back in training after recovering from a knee injury.

Head coach Flick has a number of big decisions to make all over the pitch, and Eric Garcia could be in line for a spot in the middle of midfield, with Pedri and Gavi also in the side.

Fermin Lopez is a certain starter in the final third of the field, while there could also be inclusions for both Marcus Rashford and Robert Lewandowski, with Raphinha, who is fit again after a hamstring injury, expected to be used off the bench.

As for Real Madrid, Valverde is out as a direct result of the injury that he suffered during his altercation with Tchouameni, but neither player has been suspended, so the latter could start.

Thibaut Courtois and Kylian Mbappe have both been passed fit after recent issues, and the pair are expected to be in the starting side on Sunday night.

However, Rodrygo (knee), Arda Guler (hamstring), Eder Militao (hamstring), Dani Carvajal (foot) and Ferland Mendy (thigh) have been ruled out of the contest alongside Valverde.

Eduardo Camavinga and Thiago Pitarch could both be in line for spots in midfield, while there will also be a position in the final third of the field for Vinicius Junior.

Barcelona possible starting lineup:

J Garcia; Kounde, Cubarsi, Martin, Cancelo; E Garcia, Pedri; Rashford, Gavi, Fermin; Lewandowski

Real Madrid possible starting lineup:

Courtois; Alexander-Arnold, Rudiger, Huijsen, F Garcia; Camavinga, Tchouameni, Pitarch; Bellingham; Vinicius, Mbappe

We say: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid

Real Madrid could use their recent issues as motivation to claim a point at Camp Nou on Sunday evening, but that result would not prevent Barcelona from being crowned as champions.

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