'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/4AAQSkZJRgABAQAAAQABAAD/2wCEAAMDAwMDAwQEBAQFBQUFBQcHBgYHBwsICQgJCAsRCwwLCwwLEQ8SDw4PEg8bFRMTFRsfGhkaHyYiIiYwLTA+PlQBAwMDAwMDBAQEBAUFBQUFBwcGBgcHCwgJCAkICxELDAsLDAsRDxIPDg8SDxsVExMVGx8aGRofJiIiJjAtMD4+VP/AABEIAAYACgMBIgACEQEDEQH/xABiAAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABQYQAAEEAQUBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAgMEBQYHERIxFAEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABgcRAAIBBAMBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECBAADBREhQVFh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwDN1NvNE4atk6jIX5CW/HA1ly3XiElcxOLiYmgu47A8eqKNudJtAB+wkD0vRFNJ+byluUyJIIUb4Cr0xHlM4cKK8dWa0CTokn6or//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Barcelona are set to play Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday in La Liga.
Barcelona come into this game on the back of a 1-0 win over Ernesto Valverde's Athletic Bilbao in the league. A goal from Brazilian winger Raphinha was enough to seal the deal for Xavi's Barcelona.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, beat Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool 1-0 in the second leg of the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League. A second-half goal from French superstar Karim Benzema secured the win for Carlo Ancelotti's Real Madrid.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- In 48 head-to-head encounters between the two sides, Barcelona have won 22 games, lost 16 and drawn 10.
- Polish striker Robert Lewandowski has 15 goals in 20 league starts for Barcelona this season.
- Brazilian winger Raphinha has 10 goal contributions in 14 league starts for Barcelona so far.
- French striker Karim Benzema has 11 goals in 15 league starts for Real Madrid this season.
- Brazilian winger Vinicius Junior has 12 goal contributions in 24 league starts for Real Madrid so far.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Prediction
El Clasico has lost some of its charm since the departures of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with Barcelona also finding their feet again after some trouble in recent years.
Having said that, nine points separate league leaders Barcelona from second-placed Real Madrid, and it would be fair to say that Xavi's side have not been playing at a high level recently. A win for Real Madrid here could potentially turn the tables on Barcelona.
Real Madrid, as ever, will focus more on the Champions League now. However, losing the league to a still-recovering Barcelona side would not be a good sign.
They have successfully moved the likes of Sergio Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, Raphael Varane and Casemiro to other clubs without losing much sleep. It will be interesting to see how they plan for a future without Karim Benzema. The 35-year-old is still one of the best players in the world but has had issues with injuries this season.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's never-ending off-field issues continue to beset them. Another controversy has popped up now, and it seems like the mess behind the scenes will take some time to clean.
Real Madrid to win this game.
Prediction: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Betting Tips
Tip 1: Result - Real Madrid
Tip 2: Game to have over / under 2.5 goals - Over 2.5 goals
Tip 3: Barcelona to score first - Yes
