Real Madrid vs Barcelona: El Clásico Preview - Managers Confident Despite Injury Concerns
The match promises to be a tactical battle between Ancelotti's experienced Real Madrid side and Flick's evolving Barcelona team, with both managers expressing confidence despite their respective injury concerns.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) – Real Madrid completed their final preparations for El Clásico at the Valdebebas training ground with four players absent, as manager Carlo Ancelotti expressed confidence in his squad ahead of Saturday's crucial La Liga clash against Barcelona at 10:00 PM (Erbil time).
The defending champions will be without Carvajal and Alaba due to long-term injuries, while Courtois and Rodrygo missed training following injuries from their previous match. Despite these setbacks, Real Madrid enters the match having won their last four Clásicos.
Barcelona, currently leading La Liga with 27 points and three points ahead of Real Madrid, faces their own injury crisis. The Catalans will be missing Ronald Araujo, Christensen, Ferran Torres, and Eric Garcia, while ter Stegen and Bernal are sidelined until next season.
Manager Insights
Ancelotti remained characteristically composed, stating, "In Clásicos, no special instructions are needed - the players know what to do." The Italian tactician praised Barcelona under Hansi Flick but emphasized that El Clásico's outcome often hinges on small details.
Flick, meanwhile, outlined Barcelona's tactical approach: "We have our plan, which we partially executed against Bayern Munich. We'll implement it even better against Madrid. High pressing and offside traps will be key elements of our strategy."
Historical Context
The historical stakes are high for Barcelona, who have lost their last four league Clásicos. Another defeat would match a 59-year-old negative record. Real Madrid has dominated recent encounters, winning 10 of the last 14 meetings between the sides.
A notable statistic shows Barcelona hasn't lost three consecutive matches at the Santiago Bernabéu since 1991, adding another layer of historical significance to Saturday's encounter.
The match promises to be a tactical battle between Ancelotti's experienced Real Madrid side and Flick's evolving Barcelona team, with both managers expressing confidence despite their respective injury concerns.