El Classico Showdown: A do-or-die match for Barcelona and Real Madrid

The El Classico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid will take place at 9:15 PM tonight, May 11th, as part of the 35th round of La Liga, at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys stadium (Barcelona's temporary home stadium).

Real Madrid suffered three defeats against Barcelona this season - Photo: REUTERS

Having suffered a bitter defeat against Inter Milan in the Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona's dream of winning a treble this season was shattered.

However, coach Hansi Flick and his players have no time to rest; they will immediately face their arch-rivals Real Madrid in round 35 of La Liga, a match of crucial importance for their title race.

Hosting Real Madrid at home, Barca will have a chance to pull ahead in the title race. Currently, Barca are 4 points ahead of Real Madrid, with only 4 rounds remaining in La Liga.

A Barcelona team exhausted and in pain.

Despite dominating and being superior for most of the second leg against Inter Milan, the bravery of the Inter players ultimately led to Blaugrana's painful defeat.

The Cules certainly could not have imagined that, in just a few short minutes, their 10-year dream of winning the Champions League trophy would be shattered.

The most disappointed people are undoubtedly coach Hansi Flick and the players. They had showcased captivating attacking football throughout the season. But individual mistakes in defense and a shortage of personnel at crucial moments have ruined everything.

Not only were the Catalan players utterly disappointed, but they were also almost completely exhausted after 120 minutes of intense play in the Champions League. Meanwhile, their opponents, Real Madrid, had the advantage of a full week of rest, having already been eliminated in the quarter-finals.

Furthermore, Barca's personnel situation is also alarming, with full-backs Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde almost certainly remaining absent.

This is a regrettable loss, especially in Balde's case, as the 21-year-old was the springboard that allowed striker Raphinha to freely roam across European football pitches.

Balde's replacement, Gerard Martin, despite having two assists against Inter Milan, still has questionable link-up play and defensive skills, as he repeatedly left Dumfries unmarked in both Champions League semi-final matches.

In addition, Lewandowski is likely to start on the bench, having only recently returned from injury and lacking the fitness to play the full 90 minutes.

Arda Guler (left) will be Ancelotti's trump card - Photo: REUTERS

Real Madrid are determined to break the jinx.

Nevertheless, Barcelona are still considered the clear favorites against Real Madrid in tonight's big match. The home team has won all three previous encounters this season.

However, in their most recent encounter, Barca were no longer the completely dominant team as they had been in the two previous meetings. In fact, if it weren't for Torres's brilliance, Real Madrid would have been the winning team in the Copa del Rey final.

Similar to Barcelona, ​​Real Madrid is facing a wave of injuries, with Camavinga and Mendy confirmed out for the rest of the season. Center-back Rudiger is serving a suspension, and Rodrygo has just returned after recovering from a health issue.

However, Guler is more likely to be the player that coach Ancelotti trusts.

The match against Barca will be Real Madrid's last chance to break their losing streak against Hansi Flick's Barca, as well as keep alive their hopes of winning La Liga for their mentor Ancelotti. The Italian coach has been confirmed to leave Real at the end of this season to find a new club.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/dai-chien-el-classico-tran-dau-song-con-cua-barcelona-va-real-madrid-2025051022500701.htm