News Sports Football Real Madrid vs Barcelona Preview: Head-to-head record, last meeting, team news and playing XIs

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Preview: Head-to-head record, last meeting, team news and playing XIs

The reigning champions Real Madrid have won all of their four encounters against highly-motivated Barcelona and are currently placed second in the La Liga 2024-25 points table, just three points behind the Catalan giants.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Image Source : GETTYReal Madrid have won their last four meetings against Barcelona across competitions

Real Madrid are all set to host their rivals Barcelona in one of the biggest football derby at Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening. El Clasico, the most-watched derby in the sporting world, is set to bring a fierce La Liga game between two in-form giants.

The Los Blancos are chasing Barcelona's historic 43-match unbeaten record in this meeting. Real Madrid are placed second in the La Liga points table and remain unbeaten this season. Barcelona are leading the standings with nine wins in ten games having recorded 33 goals on the course in La Liga this season.

Both teams enter this derby having registered impressive wins in their last games in the Champions League. Barcelona stunned Bayern Munich with a 4-1 win while Real Madrid came from behind to thrash another German side Borussia Dortmund 5-2 at home.

Real Madrid vs Barcelona Head-to-Head Record and Last Meeting

Real Madrid narrowly lead the head-to-head record against Barcelona with 105 wins in 257 matches across competitions. The defending La Liga champions also lead the battle in the domestic league and have won all of the last four meetings against Barcelona.

Barcelona lost both home and away league games against Real Madrid last season, including a 3-2 loss at Bernabeu in the last encounter in April 2024. 

Matches (all competitions) Real Madrid won Barcelona won Draws
257 105 100 52
La Liga matches Real Madrid won Barcelona won Draws
188 79 74 35

Real Madrid vs Barcelona team news and likely starting XIs

Barcelona are well set for the derby with no fresh injuries but it's not the case for the Los Blancos. Real Madrid lost their no.1 Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo to different injuries against Borussia Dortmund and need to reshuffle their starting eleven on Saturday night.

Brahim Diaz is fit to make a comeback but struggling Jude Bellingham is expected to take Rodrygo's place in the starting eleven against Barcelona.  Aurelien Tchouameni is expected to come in for the veteran Luca Modric in the three-man midfield. 

Real Madrid probable starting XI (4-3-2-1): Andriy Lunin; Lucas Vazquez, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger, Ferland Mendy; Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga; Jude Bellingham; Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe.

Barcelona probable starting XI (4-2-3-1): Inaki Pena; Jules Kounde, Pau Cubarsi, Inigo Martinez, Alejandro Balde; Marc Casado, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Fermin, Raphinha; Robert Lewandowski.