Real Madrid head to La Liga rivals Barcelona tonight in the first El Clasico of the season.
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane is without a number of players as he takes his team to the Nou Camp to face Barcelona. The first El Clasico of the season finally takes place tonight with the match originally postponed because of fears of civil unrest in Catalonia.
Real have the chance to move ahead of their rivals at the top of the La Liga table with goal difference the only thing separating the pair at the minute.
Real have lost just once this season though tasted victory on four occasions away from the Bernabeu.
They head to a Barcelona side with a formidable record on the home ground having won all seven matches at the Nou Camp.
Zidane heads to Catalonia without a number of first-team players though.
There is better news when it comes to Ferland Mendy though with his suspension now over.
Casemiro is expected to slot back into the starting line-up having been rested last weekend and Zidane will have to make a decision over whether Vinicius and Gareth Bale are given a start.
But the French manager knows his side are capable of winning at Barcelona, despite losing the corresponding fixture 5-1 last season.
“In games like this you’ve got to produce your best throughout the 90 minutes,” said Zidane.
“We go into the game in good shape. We’ve been playing well for some time now and have been achieving results in all departments, both mentally and in footballing terms.
“We’re enjoying a good spell. We’re all focused on tomorrow night’s game.
“It’s one to enjoy, regardless of what happens. We start the game with 11 v 11 and know what we’re up against: a very good side, who has shown that they’re just that for some time now.
“We know that they’ve got [Lionel] Messi, but we too have our own weapons.
“I want to see a good game of football against a Barcelona side who are performing well.
“We know what the game’s going to be like and the result isn’t the important thing, the important thing is that we perform for the 90 minutes, which is how we’ll enjoy ourselves.”
Real Madrid predicted line-up vs Barcelona – La Liga
(4-3-3) Courtois; Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Mendy; Kroos, Casemiro, Valverde; Rodrygo, Benzema, Vinicius
