Sunday's El Clasico will be a very important challenge in La Liga, while Barcelona and Real Madrid lead the ranking of the Spanish championship with equal points. The challenge has a special importance for the Catalans, as the biggest chances of winning a trophy are in La Liga, where Barcelona has conceded only 1 goal so far.
Coach Xavi's men drew 3-3 in their last Champions League challenge against Inter, a result that will in all likelihood disqualify the Spaniards from the group. This is another reason why the Catalans should already justify themselves in La Liga.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, is in a better position, as it has already secured qualification to the Champions League, as well as showing high levels of play in the championship. Apart from goalkeeper Courtois, Madrid have no shortages in this challenge and the only dilemma for coach Ancelotti is thought to be the midfield. The Galacticos are expected to press high on the field, but the defending champions of Spain will focus again on counter-attacks, as this is one of the opponent's weakest points.
On the other hand, Ter Stegen is expected to be decisive for Barcelona again, considering the quality of the opponents in attack. Defense is the department where we can see changes, as coach Xavi has obviously taken notes from the match against Inter.
According to the sports journalist Guillem Balague, El Clasico could serve as a lesson for the veterans in the Catalan team, and specifically Pique and Sergio Busquets, who are not performing at their best. The pressure is also high on coach Xavi, since Barcelona spent a full 145 million euros in the summer market to improve the team.
