El Clásico: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid match at Camp Nou could decide La Liga title in latest edition of historic rivalry
CNN
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Every edition of El Clásico is loaded with its own storylines, each strand adding another layer to the historic rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Described by La Liga as a “true cultural phenomenon, drawing the attention of millions of fans worldwide,” Sunday’s match at Barça’s Camp Nou stadium will be with fraught with significance, for the result could all but settle the title race.
A win for Barça would open up a 12-point lead at the top of the table, making the league title a high probability, if not quite a mathematical certainty, while a win for Real Madrid would keep the race alive with 12 matches remaining after Sunday’s game.
Los Blancos will travel to Camp Nou buoyed by defeating Liverpool 1-0 on Wednesday to seal their place in the Champions League quarterfinals with an aggregate 6-2 victory.
Vinícius Jr, who was dubbed “the best in the world” by Real coach Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday, excelled in that victory, creating the only goal of the game for Karim Benzema, and his battle with Barcelona defender Ronald Araújo could be key to deciding El Clásico.
leah abucayan/getty
Vinícius Jr. is being racially abused during LaLiga matches. Why is nobody being punished?
cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_F90D8BCA-51DF-F81A-06FE-F5D25C2B0E9E@published” data-editable=”text” data-component-name=”paragraph”>“He’s struggled a bit more in recent games, but Viní Jr. is always Viní Jr,” Ancelotti said on Saturday, according to the Real’s website.
“His mobility gives us so much, I’m thinking about putting him on the right because he’s capable, but we’ll see. That freedom and playing without a fixed reference point could be crucial.
“It’s another problem for the defenders. I’m kidding about him playing on the right … he’ll be on the left but with greater freedom.”
cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_5BACD170-68DE-1B36-440A-F5CA3CD1F273@published” data-editable=”text” data-component-name=”paragraph”>Benzema, another pillar of Real’s attack, will play on Sunday despite suffering a knock during the week, Ancelotti said.
Vinícius Jr will be key for Real Madrid on Sunday.
Manuel Reino Berengui/DeFodi Images/Getty Images
While Benzema will take to the field for Los Blancos, Barça will be without Pedri and Ousmane Dembélé due to injury, two of its most impressive players this season.
La Blaugrana has already defeated Real Madrid twice this year, back in January to win the Spanish Super Cup final and in March to take a 1-0 lead in their Copa del Rey semifinal.
The return match is at the Camp Nou on April 5.
However, Real did triumph in the league game back in October at the Bernabéu, Ancelotti’s team winning El Clásico 3-1.
Barça coach Xavi downplayed any notion that his team was the favorite to win Sunday’s game.
“They’re strong. Very strong, recently,” Xavi said, according to Barça’s website. “They’re physically much better than they were in January. I’m sure they’ll put our defense under pressure.
”
“This Madrid team is the European champion and they won the last league comfortably. It’ll be a tight game, and I say we have a 50% chance.”
Xavi’s Barcelona currently sit nine points clear at the top of the table.
Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images
It has been a lopsided season for Real, lagging behind Barça in La Liga and facing that 1-0 deficit in their Copa del Rey semifinal, but remaining on track to defend its Champions League title.
Before Sunday’s match, Ancelotti addressed speculation about his future at the club, saying he “would stay at this club for the rest of my life but that’s impossible,” adding hat it’s “a decision for the club to make.
”
“If they want me for three months, I’ll make the most of it and the same goes as if they want me for three years … Anyway, I’m certain we’ll win something this season and that will put the doubts at rest. We’re at a disadvantage in the Copa and La Liga but that’s not the case in the Champions League.”
Barça, meanwhile, once again fell short in Europe, failing to reach the knockout stages of the Champions League and losing to Manchester United in the Europa League, while the club is also embroiled in a referee payment scandal.
“”We are just focused on competing,” Xavi said on Saturday.
“We try to keep natural with the players and not get distracted by all that can happen at a club like this.”
El Clásico will kick off at 4pm ET on Sunday afternoon at Camp Nou, Barcelona. It is available to watch on the following channels:
Australia: Optus
Canada: TSN, RDS
Brazil: Star+, ESPN
cms.cnn.com/_components/paragraph/instances/paragraph_BA5C3BA9-AE1C-EB66-AC60-F5CA3CE5DF87@published” data-editable=”text” data-component-name=”paragraph”>UK: Premier Sports, La Liga TV, ITV
US: ESPN
Barcelona vs Real Madrid score, result, highlights as Benzema leads Los Blancos to Copa del Rey final
Real Madrid produced a ruthless Copa del Rey semifinal second leg display to win 4-0 at El Clasico rivals Barcelona and completely flip the script at the Camp Nou.
Karim Benzema’s hat trick stole the limelight, as Los Blancos tore Barcelona apart in the second half, and secured a Copa del Rey final clash with Osasuna next month.
Despite creating a string of excellent early chances before the break, Vinicius Jr’s clever finish crucially leveled the tie on aggregate just before halftime.
However, the second period was all about Benzema, as he confidently buried assists from Luka Modric and Vini Jr, either side of an ice cold penalty, as Carlo Ancelotti’s side showed their teeth in Catalonia to advance 4-1 on aggregate.
MORE: Real Madrid vs Barcelona history: Head to head and finals of El Clasico matches
Barcelona vs Real Madrid final score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Barcelona | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Real Madrid | 1 | 3 | 4 |
Goals:
RMA — Vinicius Jr — 45th Min
RMA — Benzema (Modric) — 50th Min
RMA — Benzema (penalty) — 58th Min
RMA — Benzema (Vinicius Jr) — 81st Min
Lineups:
Barcelona (4-3-3): 1-Ter Stegen (GK) — 23-Kounde, 4-Araujo, 17-Alonso, 28-Balde — 20-Roberto, 5-Busquets, 19-Kessie — 22-Raphinha, 9-Lewandowski, 30-Gavi
Real Madrid (4-3-3): 1-Courtois (GK) — 2-Carvajal, 3-Militao, 4-Alaba, 12-Camavinga — 15-Valverde, 8-Kroos, 10-Modric — 21-Rodrygo, 9-Benzema, 20-Vinicius Jr
Real Madrid warm up for Chelsea with Barcelona demolition
Nobody does calmness at the crunch moments quite like Real Madrid and Ancelotti, but even by their high-wire standards, a 4-0 win at the Camp Nou on a make-or-break night, was outrageously impressive.
The pre-match build up focused on Barcelona’s young guns swarming the Blancos veterans as the Camp Nou cauldron dreamed of a La Liga and Copa del Rey double.
Neither Xavi, nor his Barcelona players were complacent over their 1-0 lead, but the Real Madrid juggernaut is unstoppable in these scenarios.
Karim Benzema is the first Real Madrid player with a hat trick at Camp Nou since Ferenc Puskás in 1963 🤯
Legendary performance 👏 pic.twitter.com/8Yh2KdgTmn
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 5, 2023
Instead of easing off at 2-0, or 3-0, Real Madrid put their foot down, as Benzema again came to the fore on the biggest stage.
No team in Europe wins the key part of vital games as Real Madrid do, and this result sets a curious reminder of their coldness in the big moments, ahead of facing Chelsea in Champions League action next week.
The upheaval at Stamford Bridge will not have caused a flicker from Ancelotti, as the Italian knows his faith in the evergreen talents of Benzema, Modric & Co.
always yields results.
Barcelona fail El Clasico test as Xavi’s midfield gamble fails
An El Clasico rout will sting hard for Xavi and his improving Barcelona side, but the loss will serve as a crucial ‘how far we’ve come/how far we have to go’ lesson for the Catalan side.
Barcelona’s ability to leap over hurdles, and cope with pressure has been rewarded by a 12-point lead in La Liga, as they look set to pinch Real Madrid’s crown, and win a first La Liga title since 2019.
The endurance of winning a league title shows the huge progress made by Xavi in Catalonia, but part of developing into a truly world-class team is coping, when the tension is ramped up to the maximum.
Barça unlucky to go behind at HT but very poor thereafter. Madrid into first CdR final since 2014. A lot for Barça to think about (and a couple of things maybe learned tonight), albeit with four big players missing. A Supercopa & a LaLiga title will have to suffice
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) April 5, 2023
Gavi, Alejandro Balde and Ronald Araujo were superb for the majority of the night, but Barcelona needed more from their experienced figures, as the midfield struggled to repel Real Madrid.
Sergi Roberto alongside Sergio Busquets was picked with containment in mind, but as the game stretched, Los Blancos had the drive and quality to exploit a Barcelona team unable to react to quickfire goals.
Big nights are so often decided by who reacts to adversity — or positivity — and despite the huge strides made, they could not respond to two goals in eight minutes by Benzema, as the knockout punches rained down.
Barcelona have won the purists’ battle this season in La Liga, but the streetwise cats from the capital have shown Xavi their main area to improve next season.
Barcelona vs Real Madrid Copa del Rey semifinal highlights
Final: Barcelona 0-4 Real Madrid
An incredible second leg turnaround sees Real Madrid through to the 2022/23 Copa del Rey final as Karim Benzema’s hat trick downed Barcelona at the Camp Nou.
Barcelona are still strong favourites to clinch a first La Liga title since 2019, but Real Madrid have fired a reminder to anyone who doubted their ability on the big stage, to set up a final date with Osasuna.
¿Hogwarts Legacy?
Yo veo demasiada magia aquí. pic.twitter.com/my020mN79h
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 5, 2023
90+2 mins: The yellow card count hits 11 as Ansu Fati pulls back Tchouameni.
89 mins: The night is also wrapped up for Benzema and Vinicius Jr, as Dani Ceballos and Nacho Fernandez come on.
85 mins: A few flare-ups as the game nears its end, with Alaba and Balde both cautioned and Modric handed a little rest as Aurelien Tchouameni comes on.
81 mins: HAT TRICK FOR BENZEMA!!!
Barcelona are cut to ribbons by ANOTHER Real Madrid counter attack………..Vinicius Jr covers 80 metres and calmly plays in Benzema, who dinks it past Ter Stegen.
RUTHLESS!!!
Watch in UK:
And there’s the hat trick!! ⚽️⚽️⚽️
Karim Benzema bags his third of the night and Real Madrid’s fourth as they run riot over Barcelona at the Spotify Camp Nou! 👀 pic.
twitter.com/dWykmsMRHR
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 5, 2023
twitter.com/dWykmsMRHRWatch in USA:
BENZEMA WITH BACK-TO-BACK HAT TRICKS 🔥
REAL MADRID HAVE TORN APART BARCELONA 😨 pic.twitter.com/j4W4JKTpf0
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 5, 2023
77 mins: Barcelona are chasing shadows now as Vinicius cruises past Araujo and slides in Asensio, but Ter Stegen makes a really important diving stop.
75 mins: WOW…….Benzema so close to a hat-trick as he slips trying to fire home Asensio’s cross…..but it’s not been a bad night for the Frenchman
Karim Benzema is now the third all-time top scorer for Madrid in El Clásico behind Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo Di Stefano 🇫🇷🤩 pic.twitter.com/9Lcrw6nPK7
— Get Football (@GetFootballEU) April 5, 2023
70 mins: Real Madrid will be happy with a few disruptions here as Carvajal is booked for scything down Balde and the referee stops play with missiles being thrown onto the pitch.
Asensio is also on for Rodrygo.
67 mins: Not the start Eric Garcia wanted as he immediately picks up a booking.
65 mins: A flurry of changes from Xavi, as Ansu Fati, Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres come on for Kessie, Marcos Alonso and Raphinha.
61 mins: Almost four for Real Madrid, as Rodrygo is inches away from stabbing home Modric’s cross!!
58 mins: GOALLLLLLLLLLL……….NO nerves from Benzema to send Ter Stegen the wrong way and put Real Madrid on the brink of the final.
Watch in USA:
BENZEMA BRACE IN EL CLASICO 🥶
REAL MADRID ARE RUNNING AWAY WITH IT! pic.twitter.com/tQaYFhLwIJ
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 5, 2023
57 mins: PENALTY REAL MADRID!!!
BARCELONA HAVE IMPLODED!!! Kessie catches Vini Jr and it’s a certain penalty…….
56 mins: Araujo this time for Barcelona, as he tricks his way past two tackles, and pokes wide.
53 mins: Barcelona are swift to respond, however, as a Balde piledriver forces Courtois into action, and Raphinha thrashes one over the bar.
50 mins: BENZEMAAAAA!!!!
THIS GOAL IS DEFINITELY HIS!!!!
Modric wanders past two Barcelona tackles and rolls a pass across the end of the box and Benzema curls a sumptuous effort past Ter Stegen!!! A world-class finish!!
Watch in USA:
KARIM BENZEMA MAKES IT 2-0!
REAL MADRID HAVE TURNED THIS TIE ON ITS HEAD 🤯 pic.twitter.com/dNRR6SHnqX
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 5, 2023
Watch in UK:
You cannot give Benzema that kind of space in front of goal!! 🙌
The Real Madrid captain puts his side in the lead in this two-legged tie with this gorgeous finish! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/BNfFGY5O0j
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 5, 2023
46 mins: WE ARE BACK!!!! A huge 45 minutes coming up.
Halftime: Barcelona 0-1 Real Madrid
HALF TIME: Real Madrid have given the goal to Vinicius Jr, it was very tight, but the ball had already crossed the line before Benzema touched it!!!
Despite the setback, the Barcelona fans are still in full voice, and it’s Messi they are singing for at the Camp Nou!!
Messi pic.twitter.com/RLLrWLWUuR
— Juli Claramunt (@juliclaramunt) April 5, 2023
A breathless end to the first half has tied the aggregate score at 1-1 at the Camp Nou thanks to the Benzema toe poke!!!
Barcelona have carved out the better chances, but Real Madrid have done what they do best, with a crucial goal from Benzema!!
⚽ 45’+1′ | 0-1 | ¡¡¡GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL de @Benzema!!!#FIFA23 | #ElClásico pic.twitter.com/x9MjJWXPI5
— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 5, 2023
45 mins: REAL MADRID 1-0!!! A DEVASTATING BREAK, AND LOS BLANCOS LEAD!!
Lewandowski turns Alaba and forces a strong save from Courtois but Real Madrid fly forward through the Barcelona midfield.
Benzema cuts back for Vinicius, and the Brazilian’s strike is blocked on the line, but Benzema is there to prod home from inches out!!!!
Watch in USA:
WHAT A COUNTER FROM REAL MADRID!
BENZEMA GIVES THEM A 1-0 LEAD IN EL CLASICO AFTER A WILD SEQUENCE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j4OfdLTSXg
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) April 5, 2023
Watch in UK:
Was it Vinicius or Benzema? 🤔
Real Madrid won’t care who! Los Blancos go into the break 1-0 up at the Spotify Camp Nou!! ⚪️🟣 pic.twitter.com/NGj3lTznBS
— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 5, 2023
43 mins: Modric tussles with Kessie and Barcelona can ease the pressure with a free kick in midfield.
40 mins: Real Madrid’s best spell of possession now, but Barcelona are working overtime to keep them at bay, with Araujo directing the hosts backline.
33 mins: It’s end-to-end as Balde wriggles into the box, and Militao hooks clear, as Real Madrid break and Toni Kroos eventually switches play to Karim Benzema, but Ter Stegen is there for Barca.
Balde 🔥
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) April 5, 2023
30 mins: DOUBLE BOOKING as Vinicius Jr and Gavi clash — not for the first time tonight — and both players pick up a yellow card.
These two… pic.twitter.com/cadZR78vcd
— The Spanish Football Podcast (@tsf_podcast) April 5, 2023
26 mins: Barcelona are almost caught out, as Dani Carvajal lofts a cross into Rodrygo, but Marc-Andre Ter Stegen springs into life just in time.
23 mins: Real Madrid have slowly got more of a grip on the tie now as Eder Militao makes a pair of important headed clearances.
18 mins: Xavi is FURIOUS as Vinicius Jr catches Kessie with a late tackle in midfield and the former No.6 picks up a booking for his rant.
15 mins: Balde raids forward and crosses for Raphinha, but Courtois is alert and makes a routine catch.
12 mins: Real Madrid’s first chance of the night, as their two Brazilian wingers almost link up, but Rodrygo’s inch perfect cross to Vinicius Jr is bravely cut out by Ronald Araujo.
Crucial defending from the Uruguayan!!
10 mins: A busy few minutes for Sergi Roberto, as Gavi tees him up on the edge of the box, but his deflected shot is gathered by Thibaut Courtois.
The veteran midfielder then goes into the book for a late pull on Luka Modric.
5 mins: Barcelona storm through again, as Raphinha feeds Robert Lewandowski, and Camavinga gets back to make the block.
Concern for Real Madrid as Camavinga looks to be struggling with an injury from that.
2 mins: A superb start from Barcelona, as Alejandro Balde slips in Gavi, and the Spanish international’s low cross is brilliantly cleared by Eduardo Camavinga….. with Raphinha lurking!!
Gavi screams for a penalty, as he recycles the corner back into the box, but the referee rejects a handball shout against David Alaba.
WE ARE OFF AT THE CAMP NOU……….A HUGE NIGHT IN CATALONIA!!!!
1️⃣ ¡Arranca #ElClásico!
▶️ @FCBarcelona_es 🆚 @RealMadrid
🟣 𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙐𝙏𝙊 𝘼 𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙐𝙏𝙊 en @TwitchES: https://t.co/jf8ST3gscK
🖥️ https://t.co/WdI8jYyVya#CopaDelRey pic.twitter.com/LsAf5lCaez— Real Madrid C.F. (@realmadrid) April 5, 2023
5 mins from kickoff: SCENES in Pamplona last night as Osasuna booked their Copa del Rey final spot……….who will be joining them tonight?
👏 Pamplona is welcoming its heroes!!! ❤️#LetsGoRojillos pic.twitter.com/hkZ48k6IJV
— C. A. OSASUNA (@osasuna_en) April 5, 2023
20 mins from kickoff: Can Real Madrid turn the tide in Catalonia?
1 – Real Madrid have only lost one of their last five games at the Camp Nou in all competitions (W2 D2), the most recent of them (2-1 in LaLiga last March) and have not lost two in a row since March 2015 (2).
Danger. pic.twitter.com/CcF09g2icq
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 5, 2023
45 mins from kickoff: Despite kickoff being less than an hour away, there is only one man on the minds of Barcelona fans tonight………MESSI!!
Few Messi chants outside the ground ahead of tonight’s Copa clásico pic.twitter.com/iZIZNT6iC6
— Samuel Marsden (@samuelmarsden) April 5, 2023
60 mins from kickoff: Xavi has opted for solidity in his Barcelona midfield, with Sergi Roberto and Franck Kessie flanking Sergio Busquets, with Raphinha starting in attack.
🚨 BARÇA XI 🚨#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/kwEmaeLz84
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 5, 2023
90 mins from kickoff: Real Madrid are way early with their lineup and Tchouameni, Rudiger, and Nacho Fernandez are all on the bench with Eduardo Camavinga returning as a left-back.
That’s a position that the central midfielder has played eight times this season, including in Sunday’s victory over Real Valladolid.
📋✅ Our starting 𝗫𝗜 🆚 @FCBarcelona! #ElClásico | #CopaDelRey pic.twitter.com/9sQDpfI6UP
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 5, 2023
2 hrs from kickoff: It wasn’t pretty, but Eder Militao’s first-leg own goal means Barcelona have the edge ahead of tonight’s showdown.
Advantage: Barça#ElClásico pic.twitter.com/zReS97cWDF
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) April 5, 2023
Barcelona vs Real Madrid lineups
Barcelona are still without Pedri, Ousmane Dembele, Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen through injury, and Xavi will look to name as similar an XI to the first leg as possible with Marcos Alonso and Robert Lewandowski set to start.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-3-3): Ter Stegen (GK) — Kounde, Araujo, Alonso, Balde — Roberto, Busquets, Kessie — Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi
Barcelona subs (11): 36-Tenas (GK), 13-Pena (GK), 10-Fati, 11-Torres, 18-Alba, 32-Torre, 29-Casado, 24-Garcia, 38-Alarcon, 39-Pedrola, 40-Garrido
German international Antonio Rudiger was the only injury doubt for Ancelotti, and he is fit enough for a place on the bench, with left-back Ferland Mendy already ruled out.
Eduardo Camavinga lines up at left-back once again, with Federico Valverde moving into central midfield.
Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3): 1-Courtois (GK) — 2-Carvajal, 3-Militao, 4-Alaba, 12-Camavinga — 15-Valverde, 8-Kroos, 10-Modric — 21-Rodrygo, 9-Benzema, 20-Vinicius Jr
Real Madrid subs (12): 13-Lunin (GK), 26-Luis Lopez (GK), 5-Vallejo, 22-Rudiger, 6-Nacho, 17-Vazquez, 16-Odriozola, 18-Tchouameni, 19-Ceballos, 11-Asensio, 7-Hazard, 24-Mariano
Barcelona vs Real Madrid live stream, TV channel
Here’s how to watch all of the action from this match in some of the major territories:
| TV channel | Streaming | |
|---|---|---|
| USA | — | ESPN+ |
| Canada | — | Shahid |
| UK | BT Sport 1 | BT Sport app/site |
| Australia | — | Shahid |
| New Zealand | — | Shahid |
| India | — | FanCode |
| Hong Kong | — | Shahid |
| Malaysia | — |
Shahid |
| Singapore | — | Shahid |
UK: This match will be broadcast live in the UK via BT Sports’ TV and streaming services.
USA: This match will be streamed exclusively for fans in the USA by ESPN+.
Fans in the remaining regions can subscribe to streaming platform Shahid for coverage.
Getafe – Barcelona prediction and odds for the match April 16
April 16 in the match of the twenty-ninth round of the draw La Liga Barcelona goes to visit Getafe. The game will start at 17:15 Moscow time. In our review, we will weigh the chances of both teams to win.
Getafe vs Barcelona match prediction and betting tips
Barcelona are in first place in the league. After the last round, the gap from Real Madrid has grown to 13 points. Getafe is located in the table on the fifteenth line. City players are ahead of the relegation zone by 3 points. Bookmakers do not doubt the victory of the leader. The prediction for Getafe vs Barcelona is:
Coefficients valid at the time of publication. Follow the current offers on the website of the bookmaker 1xbet .
038
Barcelona win
Barca haven’t won two matches and can’t even score. The lead over Real Madrid is still big, but without victories it will not be possible to keep it at the same level. Moreover, Getafe does not look like an invincible opponent, the team is in the second half of the standings ahead of the relegation zone by 3 points. Who better than their Barça to beat?
Both teams to score – no
The Catalans have conceded just 9 goals in 28 rounds, half of which came in two matches against Real Madrid. Getafe scores an average goal per game, but the bookmakers are sure that the defense of the championship leader cannot be broken by the city.
Total over 2.5
The last match of Barça ended in a goalless draw, but before that, three consecutive matches of the Catalans broke through the total over 2.
5, and in general Barcelona is a pretty productive team. The bookmakers are sure that the upcoming match will also be a goal-scoring one.
Last meetings of the teams
Let’s see how the teams played among themselves in recent seasons: a – Getafe 2:1 (August 29, 2021)
Last Matches Getafe: 2:3
Barcelona last matches:
- Barcelona – Girona 0:0
- Barcelona – Real Madrid 903:45 9002 Elche – Barcelona 0:4
- Barcelona – Real Madrid 2:1
- Athletic – Barcelona 0:1
Getafe – Barcelona: bookmaker quotes
took 1 in 4 matches and won 1 in the last 3 matches draw – in the last match with Girona. The city, however, also did not sit idly by – Getafe has 2 wins, 2 draws and 1 defeat, the team of Quique Flores is in the top six teams in terms of form in recent matches. However, the bookmakers are relentless: from their point of view, the victory of the guests is inevitable.
The prediction for Getafe vs Barcelona is:
- Getafe win: 6.15
- Draw: 3.92
- Barcelona win: 1.64
- Both to score: 2.18
- Both to score – no: 1.65
- Over 2.255
- Total under 2.5: 1.72
Getafe – Barcelona: Prestart spreads
Barcelona got into a small crisis – two matches without a win and not a single goal scored. Barça are still leading the league, already 13 points ahead of Real Madrid, but without victories, this gap will be reduced in a few rounds. On the other hand, unlike the creamy ones, Barca is now playing on the same front and can count on a week-long recovery period.
Getafe are in fifteenth place in the league. If the city ones finish on this, it will be amazing stability – the team finished the previous two seasons on the same line.
The most important questions about the match Getafe – Barcelona
Where and when will the game take place? The match will take place at the Alfonso Pérez Coloseum in Getafe.
The game starts on April 16 at 17:15 Moscow time.
Who can’t help their team? Barça are terribly missing Andreas Christensen, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri and Ousmane Dembele.
Whom to pay attention to in the teams? To Enes Unal. The Turk has already scored 13 goals in this La Liga season. Right now he is the top scorer of those who do not play in the top clubs.
“Who is the last one?” Preview of the match against Elche
After a laborious victory over the second Spanish team, Barcelona is going to visit the twentieth team. It is difficult to imagine a weaker opponent for the season than Elche. Remember Ceuta from the 1/8 finals of the Cup, the last team from the third division, which the Catalans beat 5:0? Elche lost to this team in 1/16.
The modest team from Alicante stayed in the Liga this time for a long time: usually Elche are quickly relegated, but this time they have been in the elite for three seasons in a row. They have practically no chances to stay in the top division: at the beginning of April, the team had only 13 points and two wins.
Of course, Barcelona fly to Elche to win.
“X” HOUR. Match start time
Saturday, April 1, 2023 at 22:00 UTC.
WHERE TO LOOK? Live match
Setanta Sport, Okko TV
BUSINESS CARD. General information about the opponent
Name: Elche Football Club
Founded: 1923
Autonomous Community: Valencia
City: Alicante: green-striped, white Greens
Best performance in Example: 5th place (1963/64)
Previous season: 13th place in Example
Achievements: Generalissimo Cup finalists (1968/69)
ENEMY’S LAIR. Manuel Martinez Valero
Read more about Elche this season in Nikolay Ivanov’s preview of the sixth round. Barcelona already then approached the match from the position of the first team of the championship: four wins, the total score was 15:1. Elche didn’t even try to resist – 3-0 with Depay’s goal and Lewandowski’s double, 5.
18 xG vs. 0.01 xG. A 5-0 score would have been more natural, but Barça took pity on the pretty team from Alicante.
Little has changed since then. Both teams are more firmly established in different corners of the ring: Barça does not intend to give up the first place, Elche would be happy to give up the last place, but there is not enough strength. It is difficult to say which of these teams needs a victory more today, but a draw will definitely not suit either one.
HOW IS LIFE? News from the camp
The team’s main hope and striking force Lucas Boye reflects the mood of the entire Elche: the price of the Argentine striker has fallen from €15m at the beginning of the season to €6m at the moment. The striker scored three goals – the team’s second most – and often misses matches due to injuries. With “Barcelona” will not play due to disqualification. The former Spartak player Ponce performs with approximately the same success – three goals and few prospects.
On loan from Barcelona, Alex Collado scored one goal and provided one assist.
CF Elche
“We have a dream, we want to beat Barcelona, bringing great joy to both the fans and ourselves,” said the team’s top scorer, Pere Milla, before the match. “We are realists, and the main thing is points, but what I experienced in Elche, I have not experienced anywhere else. As long as possible, we will continue to fight with all our might for survival, because incredible things are happening in Elche.”
Barcelona’s results so far exceed Xavi’s wildest expectations. The head coach has repeatedly said that now the team is not in the shape to play on an equal footing with Real Madrid; however, the Catalans have won both of the last Clasicos – one away, one at home. Thanks to the latter, they broke away from second place by 12 points. There are 12 more league matches ahead, including today’s with Elche.
Xavi himself is already confident that Barcelona will win this championship, if not tomorrow, then the day after tomorrow.
“We are one step away from winning the title,” Hernandez says before the match. “Let’s focus on Elche. It is difficult to draw conclusions about a team that has a new coach. I tried to analyze Beccaceche. Maybe it’s a trap game, because they’re over-hyped, and we might think that it’s already done…”
HERE AND NOW. Elche last 5 matches:
- 19.03.2023 Real Sociedad 2:0 Elche
- 11/03/2023 Elche 1-1 Valladolid
- 03/04/2023 Mallorca 0:1 Elche
- 24.02.2–23 Elche 2-3 Real Betis
- 02/19/2023 Elche 0:1 Espanyol
Statistics in the current championship: 20th place. 13 points. 2 wins, 7 draws, 17 losses. Goal difference: 19 – 51
EFE
BED. Injured
Elche: Alamo, Nteka, Roko, Donald, Magallan
Barcelona: Dembélé, Pedri, Christensen, de Jong
The international break spared Barcelona: only a couple of players were injured – Christensen and de Jong.
Dembele and Pedri are still recovering from injuries, but Araujo received a green light from the doctors: Xavi said he would decide closer to the game whether Ronald would enter the field.
YOU ARE NOT HERE. Suspended
Elche: Boje, Czech
Barcelona: Rafinha
The Brazilian winger scored a lot of points for Xavi and seemed to have received a decisive yellow card before the game against Elche on purpose. A chance for Fati and Ferran to prove themselves against the weakest defense of the championship.
SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP. A matter of principle for concrete figures
Ter Stegen and records. One of Barça’s secondary goals in the league is to concede as few goals as possible. Marc-Andre goes on a record: only nine missed in 26 rounds. It would be a shame to miss the tenth from Elche.
Xavi and winning the championship. After 2-1 with Madrid, La Liga is already in the hands of the head coach of Barca, and losing such a lead would be a serious blow.
Barcelona have six serious matches left in which it is more likely to lose points:
- away to Getafe;
- home game against Atlético;
- home game with Betis;
- home game against Sociedad;
- exit to Espanyol;
- exit to Celta.
As a rule, Barcelona invents problems for itself out of the blue, so don’t be surprised if the Catalans do not lose a single point in the above matches, but stumble on Rayo or Valladolid. But much more in Barcelona are counting on Real Madrid, which is also not without sin and is unlikely to win all the remaining matches.
Garrido and a call to the first team. Xavi included Aleish Garrido, a 19-year-old canterano from Juvenil A, for the first time in his squad. Nicknamed “The Little Professor” Garrido joined Barcelona in 2012 and could make his first first team debut against Elche.
NEWS OF THE DAY.
Leo Messi and Barcelona
There have been rumors about this for a long time, but only today it was officially announced: the leadership of Barcelona and PSG have reached an agreement in principle that Messi is the best player on the planet, who recently won the World Cup. Leo also agreed with the arguments of the managers, emphasizing that this is the merit not only of himself, but of the entire Argentina national team. The parties met in Paris, where Joan Laporta, the emir of Qatar, David Beckham, representing Inter Miami, and Neymar with his sister were also present. BarsaMania will continue to cover developments.
WHO ARE JUDGES? Referees of the match
Carlos Del Cerro Grande
Referee panel: Madrid
This season he refereed Barcelona twice in the championship, both times – the victory of the Catalans, the total score in the matches – 7:0.
THERMOMETER. Weather forecast for the day of the game
According to meteorologists on Saturday evening in Elche will be partly cloudy, 20 degrees Celsius, north wind.