Real Madrid make the trip to Catalonia on Matchday 7 of the Primera Division to square off against their eternal rivals FC Barcelona. The two teams have not been in the best of forms recently, and it is hard to determine who is entering the tie with any sort of advantage.
Real Madrid have their injured bay packed with as many as six players nursing their respective injuries. The likes of Hazard, Odegaard and Carvajal, to name a few, will all be unavailable for selection for this high voltage match at the Camp Nou stadium.
The Whites enter this fixture in the worst possible form with two consecutive defeats, and a lot of hard work would have to be put in by Zidane & Co if they seek to return to winning ways. Here’s how the Whites could take to the field against Ronald Koeman’s men this weekend.
Predicted 4-3-3 Real Madrid Lineup Vs Barcelona
Defence
Courtois would be taking command for Los Blancos in between the sticks. The Belgian has been in good form lately but has been let down by his backline in the past two games. Despite looking out of sorts in the right-back position, Mendy is expected to start ahead of Nacho. The former adds the right mix of composure and defensive solidity, unlike Nacho who seemed rusty when he played last time around.
Raphael Varane will retain his place in the starting eleven despite a slightly below-par performance against Shakhtar. Sergio Ramos is expected to be rushed back into the fold following his knee troubles which kept him away from the midweek European fixture. Marcelo is going to start in the left-back position after a motivated display last time around.
Midfield
The tried, the tested and proven trident of Modric, Casemiro and Toni Kroos will be taking centre stage in Camp Nou. The trio would be pivotal in making the team successful in returning to the Spanish capital with all three points in the bag. Casemiro would need to be right on top of his game in order to aid the backline which has seemed a bit fragile off late.
Attack
Marco Asensio would be starting down the right-hand side. The Spaniard seemed to link up well with make-shift right back, Mendy. Asensio has risen to the occasion in the past when Madrid has faced the same opposition, and something similar would be expected of him in this closed doors El Clasico.
Karim Benzema would be occupying his favourite number nine position. The lethal striker is an integral part of this setup under Zidane. However, he has not really found himself on the scoresheet this season, and it could be no better occasion than this fixture against FC Barcelona to get his streak started again. Vinicius Jr is expected to replace Rodrygo in the starting eleven. Vinicius has been in some fine form, and he showboated on several occasions against Shakhtar apart from getting a goal to his credit.
Starting Eleven
Courtois
Mendy – Varane – Ramos – Marcelo
Modric – Casemiro – Kroos
Asensio – Benzema – Vinicius Jr
