Sunday is the big day. Barcelona can potentially win their second LaLiga title in a row if they avoid a defeat against their historical rivals Real Madrid. Hansi Flick’s team only need to avoid a defeat against the side coached by Alvaro Arbeloa, that went through one of the most surreal weeks of their history, as midfielders Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni were handed a record fine of combined €1 million by the club after being involved in two separate physical altercations on Wednesday and Thursday, as the club announced.
The Barcelona coach looked confident in his pre-match press conference: “We want to win the match at home. The Clasico is hugely important for everyone, for Madrid and for Barcelona. That’s why we want to win it. We have great confidence and that’s what I want to see tomorrow. We mustn’t change anything we’ve done this season. We have to go out there and play the same way.” Here’s what you need to know ahead of the LaLiga match that will take place on Sunday:
A chaotic week in Madrid
As mentioned above, Real Madrid faced one of the most difficult weeks in their recent past, due to what happened on Wednesday and on Thursday. As reported through multiple leaks to various outlets, and later confirmed by both the club and the players, Valverde and Tchouameni were handed a record fine of €500,000 each by the club after being involved in two separate physical altercations. While the Uruguayan midfielder will miss the game on Sunday, Tchouameni was included in the squad traveling to the Spotify Camp Nou.
Real Madrid crisis: Federico Valverde, Aurelian Tchouameni fined €500,000 each after locker room altercation
Francesco Porzio
Valverde sustained a head injury during one of the confrontations with the French midfielder and had to leave the Real Madrid training center in a wheelchair. Real Madrid confirmed the head injury of the Uruguayan midfielder in another official statement. “After the tests carried out today on our player Fede Valverde by the Real Madrid Medical Services, he has been diagnosed with a cranioencephalic trauma. Valverde is at home in good condition and will need to rest for 10 to 14 days, as indicated by medical protocols for this diagnosis.”
How to watch Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, odds
- Date: Sunday, May 10 | Time: 3 p.m. ET
- Location: Spotify Camp Nou — Barcelona
- Live stream: ESPN+
- Odds: Barcelona -155; Draw +363; Real Madrid +328
What did Arbeloa say about the incident?
While increasing rumours suggest a comeback of Jose Mourinho on the bench of the Spanish giants in the coming weeks, current Real Madrid coach Arbeloa spoke on the matter in the pre-match press conference, saying he feels responsible for what happened between his players over the week.
“Absolutely. I am responsible for everything that happens at Real Madrid, and if you want to assign blame, here I am. I have to tell you two things. First, I am very proud of the decisiveness, speed, and transparency with which the club has acted. And second, the players have already expressed their remorse, acknowledged their mistake, taken responsibility for their actions, and apologized to the fans, the club, and the dressing room. For me, that is enough. What I am not going to do is publicly burn my players because neither of them deserves that. Neither Valverde nor Tchouameni. For what they have done for this club over so many years, and I have felt it myself as a fan, for these four months, for what they have shown me day by day, both their commitment, their effort, their love for this jersey, I will not forget that.”
Possible lineups
Barcelona XI: Joan Garcia; Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo; Gavi, Pedri; Marcus Rashford, Dani Olmo, Fermin Lopez; Robert Lewandowski.
Real Madrid XI: Thibaut Courtois; Trent Alexander-Arnold, Antonio Rudiger, Dean Huijsen, Fran Garcia; Jude Bellingham, Thiago Pitarch, Eduardo Camavinga; Brahim Diaz, Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior.
Prediction
Pick: Barcelona 3, Real Madrid 1.
