Barcelona lead LaLiga, six points ahead of Real Madrid, and have won six of seven Clásicos under Hansi Flick.
Real Madrid go to Camp Nou on Sunday for the first Clásico of the season, the first one that coach José Mourinho has taken charge of since returning to the club 13 years after he was fired. Barcelona lead LaLiga and are six points ahead of Madrid.
Mourinho gave his view of the match on Wednesday:
"The clásico is just another game in the championship but to say it's a game like any other would be to lie, totally unreal."
Mourinho's first spell at Madrid left a mixed record against Barcelona, with two wins, four draws and five defeats, though he helped end Pep Guardiola's dominant era. Barcelona have won six of the seven Clásicos under coach Hansi Flick, the former Bayern Munich boss who arrived two years ago.
Barcelona opened the season with 11 straight wins, averaging more than four goals a match, before losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday. Lamine Yamal has effectively been averaging a goal and an assist in every game, and Rodri has slotted into midfield alongside Pedri. Yamal is looking forward to seeing Mourinho again. "I love the needle," he said.
Real Madrid have won their last four matches across LaLiga and the Champions League, but they have lost twice in the league, 1-0 at Real Betis and 2-1 at Atlético Madrid. Kylian Mbappé found his shooting boots in the 4-1 win over Sevilla, and Jude Bellingham is having an outstanding season. Vinícius Júnior, sent off against Villarreal, is serving a four-game suspension and will miss the trip to Camp Nou.
Flick conceded that he put the Clásico ahead of the PSG match: Rodri was not selected, and Pedri and Raphinha were taken off early. He has injury concerns at the back. Asked whether the row over referees might affect the officiating, he said: "It won't have an effect. I trust the refereeing, and we are seeing a good level of officiating, and each one of us has to protect his players."
Flick also praised Mourinho. "I have great respect for Mourinho," the Barcelona coach said. His verdict: "He is a colleague in the profession and a wonderful companion."
Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said of the six-point gap: "We need to cut the gap and we can only do that by winning." Mourinho has said: "I've only been here 105 days; it's not long."
The 265th edition of El Clásico is on Sunday at Camp Nou, live on ABC and ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.
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