Barcelona know that they will be confirmed as back-to-back La Liga champions if they avoid defeat in Sunday’s El Clasico showdown at the Spotify Camp Nou. Hansi Flick’s side are firm favourites to get the job done on home soil, although they will not be at full strength for the visit of Real Madrid.
Lamine Yamal will not play any further part this season after injuring his hamstring against Celta Vigo a couple of weeks ago, while there are doubts about whether fellow winger Raphinha will be able to start. Despite being passed fit for last weekend’s victory over Osasuna, the Brazil international played zero minutes at El Sadar, and according to MD, he’s unlikely to feature in the starting line-up against Real Madrid.
Raphinha would have been a candidate to start on either wing. He was a regular on the right prior to Hansi Flick’s arrival in the summer of 2024, and when Lamine Yamal has not played, he is seen as the preferred option on that flank, but instead, a decision will need to be made regarding two other candidates.
It’s likely that Flick will name a similar side to the one that started against Osasuna last week, with Fermin Lopez expected to continue on the left. There are many doubts about who will start on the opposite flank, but with Raphinha out of the equation, the two contenders are Marcus Rashford and Roony Bardghji.
The latter has started the two matches since Lamine Yamal went down injured, but he’s struggled to make his mark in either. Rashford has come off the bench in the last two to make telling contributions, with a goal against Getafe and an assist in the aforementioned win at Osasuna.
It will be interesting to see whether Flick continues keeping Rashford as an impact player, or whether he gets an opportunity for the start. Either way, whoever starts will fancy their chances of making a telling impression in El Clasico.
