Barcelona vs. Real Madrid, El Clásico in the Spanish La Liga: lineups, how and where to watch it on TV

The Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium will be the scene of the closest thing to a LaLiga EA Sports final between Barcelona , who with a win or even a draw would leave the championship in their hands with three games left, and Real Madrid , who need all three points to further their hopes of lifting the title. Four points separate the leader, the Catalan team, and their closest pursuer, who have lost all of the classics they have played this season: 0-4 in the first half of the league season, 2-5 in the final of the Spanish Super Cup and 3-2 in the recent final of the Copa del Rey.

The match kicks off at 11:15 a.m. and will be broadcast in Argentina on ESPN and Disney+.

Given their history and track record - Barça have not lost in the domestic championship in 2025 - it might seem that Hansi Flick 's team has everything in their favour to claim a full victory against Madrid, but the cruel elimination at the hands of Inter Milan (7-6 on aggregate) in the Champions League semi-finals adds uncertainty to the leader's situation.

The question is whether the young Barça squad can recover from the disappointment of being two minutes away from the final in Munich. After finding themselves 2-0 down at halftime, Barcelona launched a seemingly definitive comeback in the 87th minute through Raphinha, but Inter forced extra time with a goal from Acerbi in the 93rd minute, and Frattesi scored the elimination goal for Barça in that extra time that will go down in Champions League history.

A blow that the Barça dressing room wants to quickly turn the page on, as they approach this Sunday's derby as an opportunity to forget what happened in the thrilling European tie.

Flick's team is coming into the match somewhat worn out, having played nine matches in the last 30 days , two of which were decided in extra time: the second leg against Inter Milan and the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. Despite this, not many changes are expected in the starting lineup, so Eric Garcia and Gerard Martín , who shone at San Siro, will be the starting full-backs.

Full-back Alejandro Balde and midfielder Marc Casadó, who have recovered from their respective injuries, will be available for the match, but will not start. Barring a surprise, top scorer Robert Lewandowski will also not start. He played 30 minutes on Tuesday after three weeks on the sidelines.

Obliged to win the Clásico for the first time in a season in which they've suffered three tough blows from their arch-rivals, any chance of a major title this season for Real Madrid depends on winning the Montjuic title. With their players having a longer rest, but this is conditioned by their biggest problem of the season: injuries.

A match that always defines the season, as it has done to Carlo Ancelotti, who arrives at the match certain that it will be his last dance in the Clásico. Just days before the official end of the Italian manager's tenure, a Real Madrid legend with 15 titles, is announced. The farewell to the most successful coach in the club's history to make way for his successor, Xabi Alonso, who has already announced his departure from Bayer Leverkusen.

'Carletto' is under pressure in a defense without Dani Carvajal and Ferland Mendy, his first options for the full-back positions. Without Éder Militao, Antonio Rüdiger, and David Alaba, the three center-backs who were supposed to hold the team together. Nor is there a "wild card" named Eduardo Camavinga, chosen to try to stop Lamine Yamal in the Cup final before he was injured for the season.

Carlo has no choice. With Fede Valverde forced to play in midfield as Tchouaméni moves to center back, Lucas Vázquez will be the right-back and Fran García the left-back. With youth player Raúl Asencio completing a defense that is difficult to achieve, the Real Madrid coach's tactical approach will be to close lines and maintain the 4-4-2 formation of recent matches.

It would reward Arda Güler's golden moment, the Turkish midfielder's step up, and the team's abandonment of the attacking trident with Rodrygo's departure. Immersed in a downward spiral that has yet to end, he has gone twelve matches without scoring . He has scored just one goal in his last 22 matches with Real Madrid.

The hopes of fighting for LaLiga title until the final chapter, with a more favorable schedule on paper for Real Madrid in the remaining three matchdays, depend on the performance of Vinícius and Kylian Mbappé. The search for the speed of two of the best players in the world in quick transitions. For both, it's an opportunity to get something out of their system. The Brazilian has been incongruous, moving away from the image that propelled him to the last Ballon d'Or; and the Frenchman has suffered disappointments since his arrival in every Clásico, despite making his mark.

Barcelona: Szczesny; Eric Garcia, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Gerard Martín; De Jong, Pedri; Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha; and Ferran Torres.

Real Madrid: Courtois; Lucas Vázquez, Tchouaméni, Asencio, Fran García; Fede Valverde, Ceballos, Arda Güler, Bellingham; Vinícius and Mbappé.

With information from Agencies