Barcelona have the chance to land an almost fatal blow to Real Madrid’s La Liga title aspirations in a mouthwatering ‘El Clasico’ on Sunday and edge closer to reclaiming the title.
Barca are top by four points over Real with four matches left and a win on Sunday would leave them needing one more victory to clinch a 28th Spanish league title while leaving last year’s champions licking their wounds in a trophyless season.
Unbeaten domestically since late December playing some of the most entertaining football in Europe this season, Hansi Flick’s Barca will try to grab a fourth consecutive victory over Real this season and their second in less than a month.
The Catalans have already lifted the Copa del Rey after a thrilling comeback win in extra time against their old rivals.
The chance of virtually securing the double by beating Real would be the perfect tonic after a heartbreaking 4-3 Champions League defeat by Inter Milan stopped them reaching their first European Cup final in a decade and claiming a sixth crown.
Barca were a couple of minutes away from the Munich showpiece after Raphinha scored from close range in the 87th minute to put them 3-2 up after trailing 2-0 at halftime.
However, Inter equalised through Francesco Acerbi in added time to stay alive and then got the winner from substitute Davide Frattesi in extra time to stun the Catalans.
Barcelona cannot afford to wallow in self-pity and must now focus on Sunday’s clash in which they will still be without defender Jules Kounde but will recover key players like striker Robert Lewandowski and left back Alejandro Balde from injury.
Despite their disappointing Champions League semi-final exit, Barca should be confident of overturning Real on Sunday, having dominated their arch-rivals across this campaign.
They have already recorded two emphatic victories over Real this season, winning 4-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu in LaLiga in October and 5-2 in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia in January before fighting back to win the Copa del Rey.
Spearheaded by a potent attacking force of Lewandowski, 17-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, Brazilian standout forward Raphinha and midfield maestro Pedri, they have scored 91 goals in 34 LaLiga games this season, 22 more than Real, who have been a huge disappointment in Kylian Mbappe’s first season.
Real travel to Barcelona missing several key starters due to injury. Coach Carlo Ancelotti will be without Eder Militao, Antonio Ruediger, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy and David Alaba in defence and Eduardo Camavinga in midfield.
The Italian will be under the spotlight with growing rumours that he is on his way out of the Spanish capital to take over the vacant job with the Brazil national team.
Third-placed Atletico Madrid have 67 points, 12 adrift of Barca and eight behind Real. They host Real Sociedad, who are 11th on 43 battling for a European qualification spot a point behind a trio of teams led by eighth-placed Rayo Vallecano.-Reuters
