Editor’s note: This article was published before Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde was ruled out of the match with a head injury following an altercation with teammate Aurélien Tchouaméni
A draw in the Clásico would be enough for Barcelona to clinch the LaLiga title against Real Madrid this Sunday (LIVE at 3 p.m. ET across ESPN networks in the U.S.).
The renovated Camp Nou will host a Clásico that is certain to be without Lamine Yamal, who is sidelined with an injury until the end of the season.
Barcelona will look to defeat a Madrid side that needs nothing less than a victory if they want to prevent Hansi Flick’s team from celebrate retaining the league title in this head-to-head clash. To do so, Barcelona will be without their star No. 10 and face uncertainty regarding defender Andreas Christensen, who has been injured since December.
The visitors, on the other hand, arrive with uncertainty surrounding Kylian Mbappé, who missed the match against Espanyol with a hamstring injury but has not yet been officially ruled out for the clash in Barcelona. In addition to the doubts surrounding the Frenchman, there are confirmed absences as Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy, Dani Carvajal, Arda Güler and Rodrygo will not be at Camp Nou.
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Our correspondents in Madrid and Barcelona, Rodra and Lluís Bou, selected a combined starting lineup for both teams based on this season’s performance. However, with Yamal absent and Mbappé’s status uncertain, they have both been left out of the lineup.
Goalkeeper: Joan García (Barcelona)
Unless there’s a dramatic turnaround in the final few match days, he’ll win his first Zamora award for the goalkeeper with the fewest goals conceded in LaLiga. He still has a long way to go to reach Thibaut Courtois’ level, but the Belgian’s recent injury and García’s debut season tip the scales in the Catalan’s favor.
Right back: Jules Koundé (Barcelona)
His season hasn’t been great but he offers more reliability than Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is very weak defensively, and Carvajal has been restricted to just 14 LaLiga appearances this season through injury.
Center backs: Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid)
Both have had their ups and downs this season, but are finishing strong. Militão’s injury opens the door Rüdiger, who is out of contract in the summer, to make the starting lineup.
Left back: João Cancelo (Barcelona)
The January loan arrival has been the best performer in this back four. Having completely outshone Alejandro Balde, he faces no competition at Madrid because of Mendy’s constant injuries and the poor form of Fran García and Álvaro Carreras.
Midfielders: Pedri (Barcelona), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid)
The team’s defensive anchor and compass. Pedri and Tchouaméni are the most consistent players in this area of the field. At Barcelona, injuries have sidelined Frenkie de Jong, Marc Bernal and Gavi, who returned a few games ago and is still finding his form. Meanwhile, in Madrid, neither Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga nor Güler have fulfilled the role of playmakers.
One of the season’s top goal-contributing midfielders. Valverde’s range and performances like the one against Manchester City speak to his importance at Madrid.
Forwards: Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid), Raphinha (Barcelona), Fermín López (Barcelona)
Without Mbappé or Yamal, the main goal-scoring responsibility falls to a Brazilian duo who are pure rock and roll for the attack, and who each could have won the Ballon d’Or in the past but fell just short.
They are joined by Fermín, who fully deserves his place having reached 30 goal contributions this season. The 22-year-old’s selection ahead of his 37-year-old teammate Robert Lewandowski forms an attacking trident which lacks a central focal point but more than compensates in skill and dynamism.
ESPN’s combined Clásico XI
GK: Joan García (Barcelona)
DF: Jules Koundé (Barcelona), Antonio Rüdiger (Real Madrid), Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona), João Cancelo (Barcelona)
MF: Federico Valverde (Real Madrid), Pedri (Barcelona), Aurélien Tchouaméni (Real Madrid)
FW: Fermín López (Barcelona), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
