Three things Real Madrid must do to defeat Barcelona in El Clasico
· Yahoo Sports
Real Madrid head to the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday knowing that another defeat to Barcelona would leave them nine points behind their biggest rivals.
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After just 10 league games, such a gap would leave Jose Mourinho’s side with a huge mountain to climb.
The good thing for Los Blancos is that they are coming into this fixture in really good form. Real Madrid have scored eight goals across their last two matches against Sevilla and RB Leipzig.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s perfect start to the season was brought to an abrupt end in Paris as PSG secured a 4-2 victory over Hansi Flick’s team.
Mourinho has already warned that recent form means little in a Clasico. He is right, but Real Madrid’s improved performances have at least provided a timely boost.
With that in mind, here are three things Los Blancos must get right to leave Barcelona with all three points.
Exploit Barcelona’s high defensive line with Kylian Mbappe
Barcelona’s aggressive defensive line remains one of Hansi Flick’s biggest strengths, but it also presents Real Madrid with their clearest route to goal.
The Catalans push their defenders high up the pitch to compress space and sustain pressure. When that pressure fails, opponents can find enormous gaps behind the centre-backs.
PSG demonstrated the danger on Tuesday, repeatedly threatening Barcelona with quick transitions and direct passes into space.
The key weapon. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
For Real Madrid, Kylian Mbappe is the obvious weapon. The Frenchman has scored 12 goals in ten appearances against Barcelona.
His pace makes him the perfect candidate to play on the defender’s shoulder and wait for the perfect pass to be played into the space behind the back line.
However, simply launching hopeful long balls will not be enough. Real Madrid must first draw Barcelona’s midfield forward and then pick the moments to thread a through pass.
Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva are the perfect midfield profiles who will allow Mourinho’s team to do just that.
Yan Diomande could also play a significant role on the left, stretching Barcelona’s defence and offering a natural one-v-one threat.
With Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia unavailable, Barça are light defensively, and Los Blancos should do what they can to exploit this weakness.
Win the midfield battle through Guler or Bernardo Silva
One of Real Madrid’s most encouraging recent improvements has been Mourinho’s decision to introduce more creativity into midfield.
Against Sevilla and Leipzig, the presence of Guler or Bernardo helped the team circulate possession more effectively and maintain control for longer periods.
Mourinho himself acknowledged that those players give the team more passing options, control and speed. It also coincided with the fact that those two games were the ones in which Los Blancos had the most possession since the start of the season.
That improvement must continue against Barcelona. Pedri is exceptionally difficult to press because of his awareness and ability to escape tight spaces.
If Real Madrid allow him to dictate the rhythm, Barcelona could dominate possession and pin Mourinho’s side inside their own half.
Aurelien Tchouameni will therefore have important defensive responsibilities, but Real Madrid also need someone capable of keeping the ball.
Guler’s passing between the lines could be especially valuable, while Bernardo’s movement offers another way to bypass Barcelona’s pressure.
The objective should not be to outpass Barcelona for 90 minutes. It should be to prevent the game from becoming a constant cycle of Madrid defending and Barcelona attacking.
Stop Lamine Yamal without leaving the rest of Barcelona free
Lamine Yamal is the player Real Madrid cannot afford to underestimate. The teenager has scored eight goals in nine league appearances this season, while Raphinha has also been devastating in front of goal.
Stopping Lamine Yamal will be crucial. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Barcelona’s attack has produced 39 goals in those nine matches. That makes Real Madrid’s defensive organisation just as important as their attacking plan.
Federico Valverde could be particularly useful if Mourinho keeps him at right-back. His energy and recovery speed offer a way to compete with Barcelona’s dangerous wide players.
Real Madrid’s midfield must provide support whenever Barcelona overload the flanks, while the centre-backs need to remain alert to Raphinha’s runs into the penalty area.
Mourinho should also resist the temptation to defend too deeply for extended periods. Barcelona are comfortable sustaining pressure and playing through it.
Thus, Los Blancos must defend compactly, win possession decisively and give their forwards enough support to counter-attack.
Vinicius Jr.’s suspension removes one of Real Madrid’s biggest attacking weapons, but Diomande and Mbappe are good enough to hold their own in this regard.
If Mourinho can protect the flanks, compete in midfield and exploit the space behind Barcelona’s defence, a six-point gap could become three, and that should be what Real Madrid aim for.