New Delhi: Real Madrid and FC Barcelona are gearing up for a highly anticipated pre-season friendly at the MetLife Stadium in the United States. This classic rivalry match, set for Saturday, promises to offer fans an exciting preview of the upcoming season. Barcelona began their pre-season on a high note, securing a win against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City. Under the new management of Hansi Flick, the team showed resilience and tactical prowess. Flick, stepping into his first season with Barcelona, aims to build on this early success and implement his vision for the team.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, faced a 1-0 defeat against AC Milan in their pre-season opener. Despite the loss, there were positive signs, particularly from young Brazilian Endrick, who made his debut. Endrick had some promising moments on the pitch, indicating his potential to be a key player for Los Blancos. Alongside him, players like Arda Güler, Brahim Díaz, Luka Modrić, and Dani Ceballos also featured prominently in the match.
Team news: Real Madrid
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 21: Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid celebrates scoring his team’s third goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 21, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
Real Madrid is set to see some changes in their lineup with the return of Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo Goes. While Vinícius has only completed one training session so far, Rodrygo is likely to be included in the starting XI. However, new signings Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Dani Carvajal are still on holiday after their European Championship (Euro) 2024 campaign and are expected to join the team later this month.
Team news: FC Barcelona
MADRID, SPAIN – APRIL 21: Fermin Lopez of FC Barcelona celebrates scoring his team’s second goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and FC Barcelona at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on April 21, 2024 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
FC Barcelona, coming off their win against Manchester City, will continue to experiment with their lineup under Hansi Flick. The focus will be on integrating new signings and giving younger players a chance to impress. With key players like Robert Lewandowski leading the attack, Barcelona will look to build on their momentum and test their squad depth.
Predicted lineups
Real Madrid: Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vázquez, Éder Militão, Antonio Rüdiger, Fran García, Luka Modrić, Arda Güler, Dani Ceballos, Rodrygo Goes, Brahim Díaz, Endrick.
FC Barcelona: Marc-André ter Stegen, Marc Casadó, Clément Lenglet, Iñigo Martínez, Alejandro Balde, Casadó Bernal, Pablo Torre, Vitor Roque, Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Robert Lewandowski.
Where to watch?
The pre-season El Clásico between Real Madrid and Barcelona will take place on Sunday, August 4, 2024, kicking off at 4:30 am IST (7 pm ET on Saturday, August 3, 2024). The match will be held at MetLife Stadium, offering a spectacular setting for this classic rivalry. Fans around the globe can catch the action live on the ESPN App and ESPN+. In India, fans can stream the match on the FanCode app.
Real Madrid and FC Barcelona will face each other at the Metlife Stadium in a pre-season friendly. Check out everything you need to know about the pre-season El Clasico. Latest News Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
