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Real Madrid v Barcelona is the showpiece match of the season and there’s a lot riding on it for the hosts in this one. Los Blancos have a game in hand on Barca bur are eleven points adrift of the La Liga leaders, so need to win to remain in the title race.

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Real Madrid v Barcelona Preview

There are some slight doubts about the availability of Cristiano Ronaldo following a calf problem sustained at the Club World Cup but he is expected to make the lineup. Luka Modric should also be declared fit and Zinedine Zidane has been handed a boost, with Gareth Bale also available for selection.

Barcelona are once again without injured regular centre-back Samuel Umtiti, so Thomas Vermaelen will continue to deputise. That could be a potential weakness for the visitors, which Real will be keen to exploit. At the other end of the pitch, Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi are the obvious danger men for the visitors.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Predicted Lineups

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Navas; Marcelo, Ramos, Varane, Carvajal; Casermiro, Kroos; Ronaldo, Isco, Modric; Benzema

Barcelona (4-4-2): ter Stegen; Alba, Vermaelen, Pique, Semedo; Iniesta,  Paulinho, Busquets, Rakitic; Messi, Suárez

Real Madrid v Barcelona Betting Tips

  • Real Madrid have won 7, drawn 3 and lost 0 games out of the last 10.
  • Barcelona have won 6, drawn 4 and lost 0 games out of the last 10.
  • In the last 10 games, Real Madrid have scored an average of 2.5 goals and have conceded an average of 0.7 goals.
  • In the last 10 games, Barcelona have scored an average of 2.4 goals and have conceded an average of 0.4 goals.
  • There have been over 2.5 goals in 7 of the last 10 Real Madrid games.
  • There have been over 2.5 goals in 5 of the last 10 Barcelona games.

Real Madrid v Barcelona Prediction

Real’s trip to Abu Dhabi may have been just the tonic, as they go into the game as newly crowned World Club Cup winners, giving them a psychological edge. They remain under pressure to get a win and getting an early goal could be key to settling any nerves inside the Bernabeu. With this in mind, I anticipate Zidane instructing his players to go on the attack from the first whistle.

Barcelona know that anything other than defeat will be a good result for them in the grand scheme of things. It’s doubtful that they will play for a draw but they may be a little less adventurous in attack. They are unbeaten in La Liga this season but will view Real Madrid as the main threat to that record.

Real Madrid got the job done over two legs to lift the Spanish Super Cup earlier in the season (video below) and are tipped to clinch a vital win on Saturday. I expect end-to-end action and the tie to still be alive in the dying moments, with a late goal to settle it.

Free Betting Tips

Match Prediction

Real Madrid win 21/20 at Bet365.

Over/Under Prediction

Over 2.5 goals 4/11 at Bet365.

Result

Real Madrid to win 2-1 17/2 at Bet365.

  • Disclaimer: Odds correct at time of publishing

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Cristiano Ronaldo has missed another training session with a potential calf injury ahead of Saturday’s El Clasico clash with Barcelona at the Bernabeu. Madridistas are hopeful that Ronaldo’s absence from team training is precautionary, given his importance to Real Madrid’s chances of winning the pivotal showdown. Ronaldo sustained a knock during the first half of Saturday’s 1-0 Club World Cup win over Gremio in Abu Dhabi but played through the pain and scored the deciding goal to give Los Blancos the victory.

“I felt an issue developing in my calf in the second half, but I kept playing.”

The Portuguese forward sat out Tuesday’s training session at Valdebebas and was again missing for Wednesday’s morning exercise. There has been no official word from Real Madrid on the matter, either to update the progress of the calf problem or report any other injury. There could be absolutely nothing in it but the Barcelona camp will be following the story closely. One theory being bandied about is that Real are playing mind games with Barca and that CR7 is absolutely fine.

Zinedine Zidane put the players through their paces in a high-intensity workout on Wednesday. The first-team regulars were joined by academy players Alvaro Tejero, Moha and Diego Altube. Karim Benzema who had missed Tuesday’s session was also present and took part in a series of pressing and passing drills before the group contested a number of small-sided matches on miniature pitches.

Luka Modric was not with the group but did train on his own, as he builds up his fitness ahead of a return to action. Gareth Bale is good to go following his return to action at the Club World Cup. The Welshman featured in both games in Abu Dhabi and is available for selection against Barcelona, which could be his first start since September.

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Kepa-Arrizabalaga-GI

There have been plenty of rumours surrounding Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and he is now expected to complete a move to Real Madrid in the January transfer window.

According to AS, Los Blancos are ready to pay the release clause for the highly rated young keeper and the club are looking to get the deal concluded in the first week of the window. Real acting early will mean that the player has more time to settle in and challenge for the number one shirt.

It is also being reported that Real Madrid President Florentino Perez had thought of paying more than the player’s release clause in order to keep a good relationship with Athletic Bilbao, but the club have now decided to just pay the release clause in order to get the deal done.

Kiko Casilla To Move On?

With the arrival of Kepa, the goalkeeping options at the Santiago Bernabeu are set to be overhauled. This is likely to mean that one of the current goalkeepers will be moving on in the January Transfer window. Kiko Casilla will probably be the player moving on, though it is unclear at this point where his future lies.

Once he joins Real, Kepa will be competing with Keylor Navas for the number one position at the club. It is then fairly likely that Navas will move on to pastures new in the summer as he wouldn’t be happy sitting on the bench in the long term.

Kepa’s release clause is said to be £17million and Athletic will have no choice but to sell. They had hoped to convince him to sign a new deal but he appears to have made his mind up to leave the club. The youngster made his international debut for the Spanish national team in November against Costa Rica.

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Barcelona have announced that they will not acknowledge Real Madrid’s Club World Cup success with a guard of honour before kickoff in El Clasico. Former Barca midfielder and now the club’s director of institutional relations Guillermo Amor, has gone on record to say that the club have deemed such a mark of respect as inappropriate on this occasion.

“We usually do the guard of honour in the same competition that has been won, which is not the case this time.”

The guard of honour is a Spanish tradition whereby two lines of players line up and applaud the opposing team onto the pitch following a notable success. This does not necessarily have to be a La Liga title, as previously Villarreal, Real Betis, Real Mallorca and Valencia have each shown their respect to Real or Barca following respective Club World Cup wins.

It is thought that Barcelona’s stance derives from a desire to keep their perceived psychological edge ahead of the crunch fixture. After all, they hold all the cards with an eleven point lead over Real Madrid. If they did form a guard of honour at the Bernabeu, the home side could be given a lift before kickoff, something that Cristiano Ronaldo was hoping for.

Speaking following the 1-0 win over Gremio to win the Club World Cup, Ronaldo had said;

“It would be nice and I would like Barcelona to give us a pasillo”

CR7 is still hoping to overhaul Barcelona’s lead and remains confident that Real can get a result on Saturday.

“I hope we can beat Barcelona and keep La Liga alive. We are gaining confidence and going to improve and end the season very well.”

His confidence and belief is shared by Luka Modric who was named player of the tournament in Abu Dhabi.

“We’ve got a great chance to cut the deficit on Saturday. We’re on a good run, we believe in what we’re doing, playing better and I hope we can show that against Barcelona as well.”

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Real Madrid did not get a lucky break, as La Liga leaders Barcelona extended their advantage over Los Blancos to eleven points ahead of El Clasico. Real’s arch-rivals comfortably dispatched Deportivo la Coruna 4-0 at Camp Nou on Sunday night.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Sevilla played a 0-0 draw with Levante on Friday night, keeping them two points behind Real Madrid in the standings. Valencia lost 2-1 away to Eibar on Saturday, allowing Atletico Madrid to move up to second and within six points of Barca, after a 1-0 victory at home to Deportivo Alaves.

Real did not play in La Liga this weekend, as they were in Abu Dhabi for the Club World Cup. Having beaten Al Jazira on Wednesday to advance to the final, they won 1-0 against Gremio on Saturday to lift the trophy. It is Real Madrid’s fifth trophy win in 2017 but they will be quick to switch their focus back to domestic action.

El Clasico Pivotal In La Liga Title Race

Real Madrid play host to Barcelona at midday on Saturday 23rd December and it’s a match that could shape the second half of the season. The hosts have an eleven point deficit to the league leaders but crucially have a game in hand.

If Zinedine Zidane can get his tactics and team selection right to mastermind a victory, then we will head into the winter break with that lead cut back to eight points. Taking into consideration Real’s game in hand, they would still have hope of catching Barcelona.

Anything less and it’s difficult to see them being reeled in. Of course, it will still be mathematically possible for Los Blancos to win La Liga but it would come down to Barcelona dropping a stack of points. Unless they suffer an injury crisis, then it’s unlikely that Barca would let such a lead slip.

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Cristiano Ronaldo Breaks Yet Another Champions League Record

Real Madrid became the first team in history to win back-to-back Club World Cup titles, following their 1-0 victory over Gremio in Abu Dhabi. Cristiano Ronaldo scored the decisive goal, curling in a free kick shortly after half-time to hand victory to Los Blancos.

The match had a familiar theme, with the Copa Libertadores champions frustrating a Real Madrid side that lacked a cutting edge. Real had much more of the ball but struggled to carve out any meaningful chances against a well-organised defence. The first-half stats were telling, as Real Madrid had ten shots but only one of those efforts required Gremio stopper Marcelo Grohe to make a save.

With the Brazilian side defending deep, real resorted to shooting from distance. Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Luka Modric all tried their luck but failed to find the mark. Shortly after the interval, Ronaldo was felled 25 yards from goal and the dead-ball specialist did the business. CR7 dispatched a curling effort through a gap in the wall to deceive Grohe and give Real the breakthrough.

Once again the Portuguese forward has delivered on the big stage for his club. He has now scored four times in three Club World Cup Finals. Add that to the three goals in Champions League finals and two goals in Copa del Rey finals and it’s clear that Ronaldo can be relied upon when it matters most.

Real Madrid have now won five trophies in 2017, making it their most successful year ever. It is the eighth competition win under head coach Zinedine Zidane, since the Frenchman took the helm in January 2016. They are now tied for the record of most Club World Cup wins with arch-rivals Barcelona, whom they face in El Clasico next weekend.

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Nabil Fekir

For most clubs in Real Madrid fold, the transfer window is that time when they look inward to identify weaknesses and then look around for long-term targets with great potentials to replace them. While for other clubs, the transfer window is that time when they cash in on players that have risen up the ranks after developing them for many years. The clubs in Portugal will definitely opt for the latter. However, for European giants like Real Madrid, the former is definitely more attractive and there’s no doubt that would be their primary interest as the January transfer market looms around the corner.

Considering their current status, the task of recruiting new talents won’t be an easy one for Real Madrid. When you look at the crop of players already in the squad, you will quickly discover that Real Madrid doesn’t have a lot of options. But then, even with all the elite stars they’ve got, the team is still trailing behind in Barcelona and three other teams in the league table.

Although Real Madrid’s performance hasn’t been bad, it is still short of what is expected from the team the same team that won the Champions League trophy last year. But even then, they still have a shot at the title considering the seven point gap they have from the table leader. However, according to Real Madrid news, it’s difficult to see this happening with the current line-up.

There’s no doubt Real is a bit lacking in enterprise despite they quality of players available. Without doubt, they need some “injection”.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

For a long time, Real Madrid has been on the trail of Athletic Bilbao’s back man, Kepa Arrizabalaga. And so far this season, the 23-year-old has maintained an impressive record, especially during Saturday’s game where he prevented Real from scoring. It’s obvious the goalkeeper is looking forward to a possible exit from Bilbao after he refused to renew his contract. The club may have no option than to sell him out this January or let him go on a free transfer in June next year. The former seems reasonable and Real Madrid could be a possible destination.

Timo Werner

Timo Werner is undeniably one of the most destructive players in Europe at the moment and Real Madrid should be thinking about bringing him in to add spark to their attack. Playing for Champions League underdogs, RB Leipzig, is easy, but scoring 11 goals in 17 Bundesliga games is definitely not easy. To Real, this could be it.

Mauro Icardi

Apart from Werner, another player Real Madrid might consider bringing in to strengthen their attack is Mauro Icardi. With Real currently lacking in the goal scoring department, bringing in the Serie A current top goalscorer can change everything. You may not perform differently with best no deposit mobile casino online.

But then, trust Inter to make the move to Real pretty difficult difficult, if not impossible.

David Luiz

David is undeniably one player every coach dreams to have in his team. However, it’s rather unfortunate how things have fallen out for the Brazilian at Chelsea with his manager at Stamford Bridge.

With no sign of reconciliation with Antonio Conte, David might be available for the January transfer window. Real can give this one a short.

Alvaro Odriozola

Without Dani Carvajal at the back, Zidane’s defense is looking pregnable at the moment. And the prospect of fortifying it again is only possible in the presence of a quality full-back in the same class as Dani. There might not be a better option than Alvaro Odriozola, who has been instrumental to Real Sociedad campaign this season. He is young and intelligent and Real Madrid news switch would definitely not come as a surprise.

Nabil Fekir

Due to his sensational form this season with Lyon, Nabil Fekir has caught the attention of several elite clubs in Europe. The French midfielder already has an impressive record of eleven goals to his name from 13 league matches. This could be a good move for Real Madrid considering how much creative spark is lacking in their centre.

Meanwhile, if the grand life fascinates you, then you may want to check the best eurogrand online as with Real Madrid news.

Mariano Diaz

Mariano Diaz has enjoyed a spectacular season with Lyon. Interestingly, he was released by Real Madrid to the French side last year. Making a comeback to the Spanish side will definitely be a big move, although, it will be difficult; Lyon president is already determined to make sure it doesn’t happen. However, it’s still left to the 24-year-old to decide where he wants to be. But considering the loss of enterprise in Real Madrid team, this may be the right moment to make the move.

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Zidane Reveals Salah Admiration

Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane has spoken of his admiration for the Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah, which has started rumours of Los Blancos looking to organise a transfer for the player in the summer.

The Egypt international has been absolutely fantastic for the Anfield club and has raced to the top of the Premier League goal scoring charts. The player only joined Liverpool last summer for a bargain price of £34million but the rumours of him leaving the club are already beginning.

Zinedine Zidane had this to say about the player:

“Salah is a great player. He showed that at Roma, now at Liverpool,”

“He’s still young and is improving all the time. I don’t talk much about other players, but he is a player I rate a lot.”

Transfer Meetings Taking Place

Zidane is believed to have met with the Real Madrid board in order to discuss potential January signings recently. Though any deal for Salah would certainly not be until the summer at least, Real do need to bring players in next month too.

Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper Kepa looks set to move to the Bernabeu. Karim Benzema is likely to stay at the club and Zidane has been very supportive of his striker.

Real have been linked with Premier League player Eden Hazard, but it could in fact be Mohamed Salah that arrives at the club first. Egypt coach Hector Cuper has also hinted that Real Madrid are plotting a huge bid for Salah. He is certainly a player that would improve the squad.

This rumour will only bring up more question marks about Gareth Bale’s future as he plays in the same position as Salah. It will be interesting to see if Los Blancos will decide to have them both in the same squad. Time will tell.

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Maradona: Real Madrid Should Sell Gareth Bale

Argentinian football legend Diego Maradona has told Real Madrid that they should sell Gareth Bale and attempt to replace him with Paris Saint-Germain loanee Kylian Mbappe.

Gareth Bale has been linked with Manchester United on a consistent basis and it seems as if a summer transfer could be possible. That being said, manager Zinedine Zidane has spoken of Bale’s importance to the club and has gone on record to say he would like to keep the Welsh winger at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Bale joined Real Madrid in 2013 for a then world record fee of over £80million from Tottenham Hotspur. He has been excellent for the club when fit, but he has missed the majority of this season through injury. Thankfully he is back in the squad now, and scored the winner in Real’s Club World Cup semi-final against Al Jazira.

Maradona Not Impressed

Even with that recent goal, Maradona is not impressed with Bale’s overall contribution. In an interview with the Spanish newspaper AS had this to say:

“Bale? Let them sell Bale or give him away, although Florentino (Perez) is less likely to give him away… but I think they had to sign Mbappe.”

This is pretty harsh on Bale, who is certainly a world class player. Plus, any deal for Kylian Mbappe would now be incredibly difficult to pull off as PSG already have a deal in place to sign the young French international on a permanent basis.

Mbappe has impressed so far this season, linking up with Neymar and Edinson Cavani to create one of the best strike forces in the world. Maradona went on to say that the reason why Real didn’t sign Mbappe was due to the presence of Cristiano Ronaldo.

“Why did they not sign him? I told Florentino to sign Mbappe. I told him when we saw each other at Fifa. He told me… ‘but you know I have Cristiano’.”

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Real Madrid face 2017 Copa Libertadores winners Gremio in the FIFA Club World Cup on Saturday but will be keeping a keen eye on developments in La Liga from Abu Dhabi. Los Blancos kick-off at 17:00 GMT and will already know the result of one of the teams near to them in the table.

Sevilla are at home to out-of-form Levante this evening and are widely expected to pick up a win. Should that be the case, they will move level on points with Real Madrid but will remain in fifth place due to Real’s superior goal difference.

Second-placed Valencia kick off their match away to Eibar half an hour after Real Madrid get underway in UAE. Los Ches have been something of a surprise package this season but are not overly convincing on the road. Real Madrid will be hoping for a favour from plucky Eibar.

City rivals Atletico Madrid are third as things stand, with a two point advantage over Real Madrid. They have an easy looking home match against Deportivo Alaves. Although it would be a shock if they came up short, it is worth noting that Alaves are on a three-game winning streak.

La Liga leaders Barcelona don’t play until Sunday night. They are currently eight points ahead of Real Madrid and will be looking to extend that lead with a victory over Deportivo la Coruna at Camp Nou.

It looks like a straightforward match for Barca but Deportivo have taken a point in two of their last three visits to Catalonia. Further encouragement can be taken from Deportivo’s 2-1 victory at the Riazor when the clubs last met, so Real Madrid will be watching with interest.

Real Madrid will have a game in hand when they return to La Liga action against Barcelona on December 23rd. Madridistas will be hoping that their side go into El Clasico as Club World Cup winners and that Barcelona have not moved any further ahead.

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