Barcelona have started out the 2023-24 season well. 9 wins, 3 draws, and still no losses by November, and holding a good position in La Liga and a great position in their Champions League group. By contrast, at this point last season, Barca had played 16, won 10, drawn 2, and lost 4. However, by this point last season, Barcelona had already had 5 major matches, and disastrously not won any of them, drawing and losing to Inter, losing twice to Bayern, and losing against Real Madrid. It was a team that was admittedly a far cry from the super team promised in the summer, with injuries to (somehow) all 3 of Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, and Ronald Araujo. Xavi also played Marcos Alonso in Europe over Balde, for rest and because Balde was only in his first 2 months of breaking out at Barca. The game at the Allianz vs Bayern was the only one of the 5 big matches where Barca could play their full strength defense, and they were very unlucky in the amount of big chances they missed. A quick 2 goals in 5 minutes from Lucas Hernandez and Leroy Sane was all that separated the two. After that, and the international break, Barcelona had to play back lines that looked like Alonso-Pique-Garcia-Roberto in the most important stretch of the season.
Now though, that looks set to change. While Barcelona have sustained injuries to key players such as Robert Lewandowski, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Raphinha, they’ve not completely bollocksed their season yet, and for once, it looks like they may not be in an injury crisis for the most important bits of the campaign. It also looks like Barca will be able to field a very strong starting XI vs Real Madrid, who have also dealt with lots of injury trouble this season. First was a pre-season ACL tear for Thibault Courtois, who has dragged them kicking and screaming to so many victories in recent years, including the 2022 Champions League final vs Liverpool. This prompted Madrid to sign, of all options, Kepa Arrizabalaga as the backup. Then Eder Militao got the same injury in the first game of the season vs Bilbao, leading some to believe Madrid may sign Sergio Ramos back to the club as a backup. However, they wouldn’t and would rely on an Alaba-Rudiger partnership with Nacho Fernandez as backup, a decision which would cost Madrid 4 points in the La Liga title race after Ramos signed for Sevilla the following month.
Madrid has also had a series of recurring injuries to Arda Guler, signed in July, nearly 4 months ago now, who hasn’t even played a friendly yet, and had a multi-week injury to Vinicius Jr, from which he has now recovered.
However, these two have not been at all bad this season. In a combined 24 matches, the two have only 1 loss, Madrid’s 3-1 Madrid derby loss in September, with their full record being 19 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss. Prime El Clasico of 2009-2018 isn’t back yet, but it’s recovering from the awful days of the early 2020s.
For Madrid, it’s been a 1-man show, with Jude Bellingham taking plaudits this season as perhaps the greatest being to ever exist, and filling in the goals void very, very well. In fact, he’s probably the favorite for the 2024 Ballon D’Or as it stands. For Barcelona, the opposite has been their story. The parts and cogs of their machine has made everybody better, and nearly everyone has had some role to play, whether it’s consistency, like Gundogan, Yamal and Ter Stegen, or some big performances to win certain matches, like Inigo Martinez or Joao Cancelo. Barcelona have no end of excitement in their ranks,as well as no end of youth talent waiting to burst onto the scene. Along with record-breaker Lamine Yamal, who’s already played 13 senior matches for Barcelona at the age of 16 years and 3 months old, Fermin Lopez announced himself with style, scoring a screamer against Real Madrid in the pre-season Clasico, and getting an assist in a 3-0 win, and has been getting solid minutes every since, and then Marc Guiu, seemingly on the bench to make up the numbers vs Bilbao on the weekend but scoring the winner 23 seconds after coming on. There’s even some other youth talents who could make their debuts soon, such as Unai Hernandez, Hector Fort, Pau Cubarsi, and Pau Prim.
This game will be very important for both clubs. Along with the obvious bragging rights that come with every Clasico, there are some serious points for grabs in the league with this Clasico. After a frustrating draw with Sevilla on the weekend by Madrid, the gap between the two clubs is now just 1 point in Madrid’s favor. Unlike last year at this point, there are some other teams in the early title hunt, those being Atletico Madrid, 3 points back on top spot with a game in hand, and Girona, somehow keeping up with the pace in near-November.
If Barcelona win the Clasico, they open up a 2-point cushion on Real Madrid, and with their injured players starting to come back within the next 1-2 weeks, that will be massive. However, if Madrid win, their lead opens up to 4 points, and while the season is long, 4 points is a lot in an era where the two sides haven’t been separated by much.
How would I line up if I was Xavi and had the call? I would obviously put Ter Stegen in goal, because who else would you put in there? My back line would be a little unorthodox, with Balde, Christensen, Inigo Martinez, and Araujo RB. Araujo should always be the RB against Madrid, giving the Christensen-Martinez duo a nod. They were good enough against Bilbao, and Inigo Martinez especially showed some great capabilities in starting the buildup, completing TWELVE(!) long balls from 15 attempts, unheard of for anyone in any position, especially a Center back. Even Kevin de Bruyne only completes 1-2 per game. I’m going for a midfield 4, Lamine Yamal on the left, Gundogan and Gavi as the center midfielders, and Joao Cancelo on the right. Right midfield could be where Cancelo shines the most, being free to create down the right hand side while having Ronald Araujo to back him up defensively, and if Yamal creates too much of an attacking issue with him and Balde on the left hand side, you could alternatively put in Fermin Lopez if you want. Picking only two center midfielders was hard, Gundogan has to be in for sure, but between Gavi and Romeu, I’m giving Gavi the nod. The intensity Gavi brings to these matches is insane, and I trust him to create more than Romeu. However, I would definitely bring on Romeu as a substitute later on. As an attacking duo I’d pick Joao Felix and Ferran Torres, assuming Lewandowski isn’t fit. While Ferran as a Striker in El Clasico isn’t ideal, especially as I see him as an attacking midfielder, I don’t see Marc Guiu ready to start this kind of match just yet.
Well, that’s all for now. I had some fun making this one, so I do hope you enjoyed it. For now though, I’m Jim James, until next time!