The first El Clasico of the 2026/27 season arrives on Sunday, 25 October, and the stakes could hardly be higher. Barcelona host Real Madrid with a perfect league record and a chance to deliver an early knockout blow in the title race.
Barcelona: flawless so far
The reigning champions have been ruthless. Hansi Flick’s side have won each of their first nine La Liga games, scoring 39 goals and conceding just nine. The latest was a 5-2 win at Real Betis on Saturday, with Lamine Yamal, Rodri, Gabriel Jesus, Garcia and Dani Olmo all on the scoresheet. Earlier in the run came a 7-2 demolition of Racing de Santander.
Their form carries into Europe too. Barcelona won 4-1 at Galatasaray on Champions League Matchday 2 and face PSG in Paris on Tuesday night, just five days before the Clasico.
Real Madrid: chasing the pace
Real Madrid have been strong but not perfect, with two defeats in their first nine league games. They warmed up for the Clasico by beating Sevilla 4-1 on Sunday, with Kylian Mbappe scoring twice and Arda Guler and Diomande also on target. In Europe, Madrid showed their resilience with a 4-3 win at Roma in a wild Matchday 2 game.
| Pos | Team | P | W | D | L | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barcelona | 9 | 9 | 0 | 0 | +30 | 27 |
| 2 | Atletico Madrid | 9 | 7 | 1 | 1 | +11 | 22 |
| 3 | Real Madrid | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | +14 | 21 |
Top three after nine rounds.
Don’t forget Atletico
While the spotlight falls on the Clasico, Atletico Madrid sit second after a 1-0 win at Espanyol on Saturday and have quietly built a strong start, including a 2-0 Champions League win over Manchester United. Diego Simeone’s side would love nothing more than for the big two to take points off each other.
Key battles
Barcelona’s high defensive line against Mbappe’s pace is the obvious duel. If Madrid can survive the early Barcelona pressure and break quickly, they have the speed to hurt anyone. If Barcelona control the ball and the tempo, their perfect run looks set to continue.
Prediction
Form says Barcelona. History says Clasicos rarely follow the script. A home win would open a nine-point gap over their great rivals before the end of October. Whatever happens, this is one of the must-watch games of the season. Join 360 Sports Africa for live reaction on Sunday.