La Liga leaders Real Madrid head into El Clasico on Sunday as dem dey look to record sixth successive win over Barcelona but unlike some months ago, dem go welcome a side wey dey in form under new boss Xavi.
Di European giants don already meet twice dis season, Carlo Ancelotti side win for league for Nou Camp before dem also beat their Catalan rivals in extra time for di Supercopa de Espana.
Dis go be di first Clasico for Bernabeu since March 2020 after Real return to their ogbonge stadium earlier dis season sake of ongoing renovations. Only 60,000 fans fit attend Sunday match due to di construction work wey dey go on.
Real go begin di game 15 points ahead of their visitors, wey siddon for fourth behind Atletico and dem dey unbeaten in di league since 4 December when Xavi suffer im only defeat in di competition against Real Betis.
E go also be Clasico wey go appear different for eye – none of di club go wear their traditional colours, Real go wear black kit to mark their 120th anniversary dis month, while Barcelona go wear shirt wey feature di yellow and red of di Catalan flag.
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Wetin dey on di line?
For Real Madrid, pride and El Clasico bragging rights as di leaders dey 10 points clear of Sevilla wey dey second-place.
Barcelona, meanwhile, dey battle to make di top four and secure Champions League football for next season. Dem neva fail to reach Europe top competition since di 2003-04 season, wen Xavi bin dey play.
Dat na also di last time Barcelona fail to make di knockout stages of di Champions League, until dis season, Xavi bin no fit rescue di club from group stage exit afta im replace Ronald Koeman for November as dem finish third and drop into di Europa League.
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Real Madrid go dey without in-form striker Karim Benzema, wey don score 22 goals in 25 games in La Liga dis term, after im pick up calf injury for di 3-0 win against Mallorca on Monday.
“We never take risks,” na so Ancelotti tok. “Im no fit play because im never train, im feel some pain [but] na small injury. Karim dey 34-years-old, e fit happen.”
Real Madrid, however, also get di league second-highest scorer in exciting Brazilian Vinicius Junior, wey don net 14 times.
Ancelotti dey confident im get options to replace Benzema and among dem na Gareth Bale, Mariano Diaz and Luka Jovic, while di Italian go also also consider to use Isco and Rodrygo for dat position.
Barcelona get frontman of their own wey dey in form, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang score di winner for dia Europa League last-16 tie against Galatasaray on Thursday. Im seventh goal in 10 games since e arrive on free transfer from Arsenal.
Aubameyang form dey very different from wetin im show for im final months for north London, as di Gabon international fall out wit Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and lose di club captaincy following disciplinary breach.
Xavi, however, say e dey lucky to get di striker.
“Auba na gift from heaven,” im tok after Aubameyang score for their 4-0 win over Osasuna last weekend, im call am a “positive player” and a “privilege to train”.
