Barcelona has been in excellent form this season, winning 21 of their 25 matches and conceding only eight goals in the process. While they suffered a setback in the Europa League, they have already lifted the Spanish Super Cup and are still in contention for the Copa del Rey. In the first leg of their semi-final against Real Madrid, Barcelona secured a 1-0 victory, with the second leg scheduled for the start of April.
Barcelona's home record has been exceptional this season, with 10 wins and only two defeats from their 12 matches, earning them 32 points. Real Madrid, on the other hand, have a strong away record, having picked up 28 points from 13 matches. Despite being nine points behind Barcelona in La Liga, Real Madrid are still in contention for a treble this season, having secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Champions League with a 1-0 win over Liverpool.
Real Madrid will be looking to cut the gap to six points with a victory on Sunday, and they have a good recent record against Barcelona, having won five of their last six league meetings. Barcelona has not beaten Real Madrid at Camp Nou in La Liga since October 2018, and the reverse fixture earlier this season saw Real Madrid come out as 3-1 winners.
INJURIES & SUSPENSIONS
Initially, Barcelona were hopeful that Ousmane Dembele would be fit for this game, but unfortunately, the Frenchman is still out due to a hamstring issue.
However, midfielder Pedri is expected to make a return after sitting out the last six matches due to his own hamstring problem. Defender Ronald Araujo is also available for selection after serving a suspension in the previous game against Athletic.
In terms of the starting lineup, Alejandro Balde is expected to replace Jordi Alba at left-back, and Gavi is likely to join Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski in attack.
For Real Madrid, David Alaba remains the only player out injured with a hamstring issue. Ferland Mendy is back on the bench after recovering from his own hamstring problem, and Karim Benzema is fit despite being forced off in the last game due to a knock.
In midfield, it seems likely that Toni Kroos will be left out, with Aurelien Tchouameni returning to the starting lineup. Nacho is expected to keep his place at left-back, with Federico Valverde joining Benzema and Vinicius Junior in the front three for the reigning champions.
POSSIBLE LINE-UPS
Barcelona possible starting lineup:Ter Stegen; Kounde, Araujo, Christensen, Balde; F de Jong, Busquets, Pedri; Raphinha, Lewandowski, Gavi
Real Madrid possible starting lineup:
Courtois; Carvajal, Militao, Rudiger, Nacho; Tchouameni, Camavinga, Modric; Valverde, Benzema, Vinicius
EXPERT PREDICTION
Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid
Barcelona's lack of a midweek European fixture might give them an edge, but Real Madrid's solid performance against Liverpool and their advancement in the competition will surely boost their confidence. While Ancelotti's squad is under pressure to win on Sunday, it is difficult to predict a defeat for Barcelona at Camp Nou, and we anticipate a tense and closely fought match that will end in a draw.
