The world’s biggest football rivalry is set to ignite the United States as Real Madrid and Barcelona face off in a pre-season El Clasico showdown in New Jersey.
The two Spanish giants will lock horns at MetLife Stadium on Saturday evening, and the blockbuster contest is poised to capture the attention of millions of spectators across the globe.
Madrid are eager to bounce back from a disappointing 1-0 defeat to AC Milan in their opening pre-season match.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side will be desperate to hit their stride against their eternal rivals as they build towards another La Liga title challenge.
Meanwhile, Barca opened their friendly campaign with a 2-2 draw against Manchester City at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando before dispatching the Premier League champions 4-1 on penalties.
Hansi Flick will be eager for his side to step things up when they take on Madrid at the MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford.
The former Bayern Munich manager is looking to challenge Los Blancos for the coveted La Liga crown, and the upcoming fixture could serve as a preview for next season’s title race.
Xavi Hernandez led the Catalan giants to a second-place finish last season, although a ten-point gulf separated them from the La Liga champions.
They also crashed out of the Champions League and the Copa del Rey in the quarter-final stage after falling to an appalling 4-1 defeat against Madrid in the Supercopa de Espana final.
Flick has been brought in to bridge the gap to Madrid and the German tactician will be looking to build on the solid foundation already established by Xavi.
He inherited a promising squad and offered glimpses of things to come in the draw against Man City despite fielding a line-up dominated by La Masia Academy prospects.
It might only be a friendly, but both clubs are accustomed to winning and will be determined to get a positive result before their final pre-season fixtures against Milan and Chelsea.
While Barca are set to mount a serious bid for the La Liga title, Madrid are unlikely to give up the coveted crown without a fight.
The addition of Kylian Mbappe to an already star-studded Los Blancos squad suggests they are determined to defend both domestic and European titles.
The French superstar’s arrival will undoubtedly send Santiago Bernabeu attendance soaring, with ticket prices likely to follow suit.
However, fans itching to see the World Cup winner in the iconic Los Blancos colours are in luck, as seatsnet.com offers Real Madrid tickets at unbeatable prices.
Match preview
Fresh from claiming their record-extending 15th Champions League title with a win over Borussia Dortmund at Wembley Stadium, Madrid’s quest to defend their crown has gotten off to a rocky start in pre-season.
Los Blancos kicked off their preparations for the 2024/25 campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Milan despite dominating the Serie A giants throughout the game.
With a packed schedule ahead, including high-profile friendlies against Barca and Chelsea in the United States, Ancelotti’s men will have plenty of time to find their rhythm.
They take on Europa League winners Atalanta in the UEFA Super Cup on August 14 before facing Mallorca in the La Liga curtain-raiser just four days after, so they need to step things up in the coming friendlies.
Madrid bolstered their attack this summer with the addition of Mbappe, while Endrick joined the club after turning 18.
However, the departures of defensive stalwart Nacho and midfield maestro Toni Kroos have left gaps to fill, although Ancelotti insists the club’s business on the transfer market is done.
Mbappe’s arrival is a game-changer for Madrid, and Los Blancos will once again be the team to beat next season, not just in Spain but also in the Champions League.
Barca’s pre-season campaign kicked off with a thrilling penalty shoot-out victory against Man City, which served as a promising start to Flick’s tenure at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Pau Victor stands as Barca’s only summer addition, but the 22-year-old forward has hit the ground running. He scored the opening goal in the draw against Man City.
Former Girona loanee Pablo Torre set up his countryman for the 24th-minute strike, with both players determined to force their way into Flick’s plans ahead of the new season.
With two more friendly matches against Milan and Monaco on the horizon, Flick will be keen to ensure the players buy into his ideas completely before kicking off the La Liga season against Valencia on August 17.
Expectations are high for the club as they embark on a new chapter under Flick’s stewardship but Barca need to back the German tactician in the transfer market to bolster their lofty ambitions.
The Catalan giants have been quiet so far, but several exciting names have been linked with a move to the Spotify Camp Nou.
Barca are advancing on a deal to sign Dani Olmo from RB Leipzig after his exceptional role in Spain’s triumph at this summer’s European Championship.
They are still interested in signing Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams, who was also a standout performer for Spain at Euro 2024. However, a deal for Williams will be complicated due to the club’s dire financial situation.
Team news & potential starting line-ups
Mbappe is still on an extended break after his exploits at Euro 2024, so the French superstar will not link up with Ancelotti’s squad in the United States.
That gives Brazilian prodigy Endrick enough time to stake a claim in the first team, but his debut against Milan was far from ideal.
The young striker will likely get another chance to showcase his undoubted talent and is poised to lead the line for Madrid in his first-ever Clasico appearance.
Mbappe isn’t the only high-profile star missing from Madrid’s US roster.
Jude Bellingham, Dani Carvajal, Ferland Mendy, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga will not be involved in the US.
However, Arda Guler, Luka Modric, and Antonio Rudiger should be among the starters, while Brazilian trio Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, and Eder Militao should link up with the squad ahead of this game.
Meanwhile, Barca will be without Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, Ronald Araujo and Ansu Fati due to injury.
However, Ilkay Gundogan and Jules Kounde should join the squad ahead of this match, while Alejandro Balde could make the starting XI after marking his return from injury against Man City.
Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal are on extended breaks after representing Spain at Euro 2024, while Fermin Lopez, Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi are featuring for the national team at the Olympics.
Victor scored on his debut against Man City and could retain his spot in the starting line-up.
Real Madrid potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Thibaut Courtois; Lucas Vazquez, Jesus Vallejo, Antonio Rudiger, Fran Garcia; Luka Modric, Mario Martin, Dani Ceballos; Arda Guler, Endrick, Brahim Diaz.
Barcelona potential starting line-up:
(4-3-3): Marc-Andre ter Stegen; Jules Kounde, Inigo Martinez, Clement Lenglet, Alejandro Balde; Marc Casado, Pablo Torre, Ilkay Gundogan; Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Pau Victor.
