This Sunday brings 'the match of the century' once again. Barça will take the pitch at 9 p.m. without the absolute urgency to win against Real Madrid, thanks to their six-point lead at the top of the La Liga standings. But the fans are thrilled—and rightfully so—at the prospect of pulling further ahead and opening up a massive nine-point gap over a Mourinho-led Real Madrid arriving at Spotify Camp Nou riding high on recent results.
That excitement over practically wrapping up the league title shouldn't trick us into thinking Barça has an easy game ahead. While it's true the blaugrana side has cruised through La Liga with the best start in franchise history, it's equally true that, aside from a surprising Betis team, they haven't beaten any opponent from the top of the table. On top of that, they're coming off a bump in the road during the third Champions League matchday against reigning European champions PSG, who scored two goals in just a few minutes after stepping on the gas late in the game.
So, while nobody wants to dampen the fans' spirits, caution is key. The European setback, combined with defensive injuries, the reality that Cancelo needs more defensive coverage, Dani Olmo's absence leaving Fermín as a guaranteed starter on Sunday, Gordon's hit-or-miss performances, and Raphinha coming right off an injury at less than 100%, all point to a tightly contested match. Plus, they need to watch out for the counterattacks: Mbappé has a knack for scoring against Barça, and Diomandé is contributing even more than Vinicius (luck even favored them with the Brazilian's suspension).
Mourinho isn't half bad at playing Barça, either. His last La Liga match at Camp Nou ended in a 2-2 draw with goals from Messi (2) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2) back in October 2012.
Advertisement
And if we look at his last official match at Camp Nou, it's even worse—he pulled off a 3-1 victory, with Jordi Alba scoring for Barça while Cristiano Ronaldo (2) and Varane netted for Real Madrid.
We all remember Barça's iconic 5-0 thrashing of Madrid, but recent head-to-head history suggests approaching this matchup with measured expectations.
In short, let's not let the excitement of going nine points clear cloud our judgment against a wounded Madrid team out to prove a point.
This Sunday at 9 p.m., we'll finally get our answer.