El Clasico is back to being a top-of-the-table clash as Real Madrid and Barcelona enter the match tied atop La Liga. It’s the first of two head-to-head battles in league play and the stakes will be high, especially given what transpired in midweek.
Barcelona all but confirmed a second consecutive group stage exit in the Champions League on Wednesday, meaning they will likely begin to prioritize La Liga, which makes this match extra important. Barcelona currently have the edge over Real Madrid on goal differential and at least a draw at the Bernabeu would keep them in first place.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, are charging ahead in Champions League action but will want to maintain control of La Liga given that’s really all Barcelona have left to play for. Los Blancos will be aware that a victory over Barcelona could send their rival’s season into a momentary tailspin.
The Sporting News will be following the Real Madrid vs. Barcelona match live and providing score updates, commentary and highlights as they happen.
MORE: Barcelona on the cusp of elimination after Champions League slip at Camp Nou
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Real Madrid | — | — | — |
| Barcelona | — | — | — |
Goals:
None
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live updates, highlights from El Clasico
68 mins to kick: For a full preview of today’s El Clasico, here’s a betting preview from The Sporting News as we look ahead at what to expect. A rundown of who will win, who will score, how many corners, and much more! Plenty of stats and analysis ahead of today’s huge match.
81 mins to kick: The Barcelona lineup is out, and the biggest news is that Gavi has been dropped to the bench, replaced by Frenkie de Jong in midfield. It’s a massive opportunity for the Dutch international to prove he belongs in the lineup after being cast aside by Xavi for much of this season so far.
90 mins to kick: Xavi, who will reach 50 matches in charge of Barcelona today, has spoken pre-match about the need to “enjoy” this fixture. With Barcelona likely bounced from the Champions League after the midweek debacle against Inter, the Barcelona boss says being manager of the Catalan club is a “thankless” job, saying that “it’s better to be a player. You enjoy being a player more than a coach.” However, he says “this is a game to enjoy,” so he wants himself and his players to get back to having fun on the pitch.
Xavi is under a lot of pressure at the moment, which seems a bit silly because his management is a big reason why the club was dragged back to winning ways after last year’s catastrophic first half. Still, defeat in this match would see Xavi’s job security teeter on the brink.
“Winning without playing well isn’t our style!”
Barcelona coach Xavi gave his thoughts ahead of El Clásico on his side’s signature playing style, insisting it is the most important thing for them… 💫
🎙️ #LaLigaTV pic.twitter.com/haWK7tpL84
— LaLigaTV (@LaLigaTV) October 16, 2022
101 mins to kick: The Real Madrid lineup is already out, and sure enough Los Blancos are without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, hero of the Champions League final, who is struggling with a back injury. Andriy Lunin continues in his place. Otherwise, there are few surprises. Eder Militao and David Alaba are the center-backs, with Antonio Rudiger on the bench after his bloody winner against Shakhtar Donetsk midweek.
115 mins to kick: Antonio Rudiger will be wearing a mask for this match to protect the gash that he suffered while scoring the stoppage-time equalizer in the UEFA Champions League. The club posted an inside look on social media of the immediate aftermath, showing how the medical staff handled the situation.
🏥 How did our medical team treat @ToniRuediger last night? pic.twitter.com/rAWTtd9CCB
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 12, 2022
120 mins to kickoff: If you see a different logo on the front of the Barcelona kits, that’s intentional. It’s the owl logo of musical & recording artist Drake. Barcelona’s main kit sponsor Spotify is promoting Drake’s milestone of 50 billion downloads, the first artist to reach that mark on the music streaming platform.
𝗧𝗼𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗶𝘀 #𝗘𝗹𝗖𝗹𝗮́𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗼 𝗗𝗮𝘆! pic.twitter.com/8nsEPNiDq4
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 16, 2022
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona lineups, team news
The standard starting XI is expected for Real Madrid outside of starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois (back issue), who misses his fifth straight match and will continue to be replaced by his backup Andriy Lunin.
Vinicius Jr and Eder Militao are expected back after being rested in midweek. Antonio Rudiger is reportedly set to start on the bench after suffering a bloody forehead gash on his stoppage-time equalizer against Shakhtar. The German international will be fitted with a custom mask to protect the wound should he enter the game.
Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 13-Lunin (GK) — 2-Carvajal, 3-Militao, 4-Alaba, 23-Mendy — 10-Modric, 18-Tchouameni, 8-Kroos — 15-Valverde, 9-Benzema, 20-Vinicius.
Real Madrid subs (12): 26-Lopez (GK), 30-Canizares (GK), 16-Odriozola, 17-Vazquez, 6-Nacho, 5-Vallejo, 22-Rudiger, 12-Camavinga, 11-Asensio, 7-Hazard, 21-Rodrygo, 24-Mariano.
Barcelona have some key injuries at the back: Ronald Araujo (hip) is out, as are Andreas Christensen and Hector Bellerin. But Jules Kounde has recovered from his hamstring injury and is ready to slot in at center-back in place of the struggling Gerard Pique. The talk was that left-back Alex Balde will be moved to right-back to track the speedy Vinicius Jr., although it appears that’s unlikely as Sergi Roberto is in the lineup as a right-back deputy.
While pre-match reports indicated that Gavi would be moved forward into an attacking role, he instead drops to the bench instead, with Frenkie de Jong on in his place. Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha continue in their attacking roles, while fellow forward Memphis Depay will miss out due to injury.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3, right to left): 1-Ter Stegen (GK) — 28-Balde, 23-Kounde, 24-Garcia, 20-Roberto — 8-Pedri, 5-Busquets, 21-De Jong — 7-Dembele, 9-Lewandowski, 22-Raphinha.
Barcelona subs (12): 26-Pena (GK), 36-Tenas (GK), 18-Alba, 3-Pique, 20-Roberto, 29-Casado, 19-Kessie, 30-Gavi, 32-Pablo Torre, 10-Fati, 11-Ferran Torres.
MORE: La Liga table & standings, with closer look at title, Champions League, and relegation battles
How to watch Real Madrid vs. Barcelona
| Date | Time | TV channel | Streaming | |
| USA | Sun, Oct. 16 | 10:15 ET | ESPN Deportes | fuboTV, ESPN+ |
| UK | Sun, Oct. 16 | 15:15 ET | Premier Sports 1, LaLigaTV | Premier Player |
| Australia | Mon, Oct. 17 | 01:15 AEST | — | Optus Sport |
| Canada | Sun, Oct. 16 | 10:15 ET | TSN3 | TSN |
| India | Sun, Oct. 16 | 19:45 ET | Sports18 | Voot Select |
| New Zealand | Mon, Oct. 17 | 03:15 NZST | Sky Sports 7 beIN Sports | beIN Sports Connect |
| Malaysia | Sun, Oct. 16 | 22:15 MT | beIN Sports | beIN Sports |
| Singapore | Sun, Oct. 16 | 22:15 SST | beIN Sports | beIN Sports, StarHub TV+ |
UK: Sunday’s massive El Clasico tilt will be shown in the United Kingdom on Premier Sports 1 and LaLigaTV. It can also be streamed via Premier Player.
USA: The match between Real Madrid and Barcelona from the Bernabeu can be seen in the United States on ESPN Deportes, and streamed on ESPN+ along with all other La Liga matches.
ESPN Deportes is also available to stream on fuboTV, and there’s a special offer $40 off on the Latino package quarterly plan through October 16, available for just $59.
Canada: The match will be broadcast in Canada on TSN3, which is also available to stream via the TSN site or app.
Australia: Australia’s exclusive La Liga broadcaster is Optus Sport, who also carries the Premier League.
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