Madrid had an incredibly successful campaign last time out, winning both La Liga and the Champions League for only the second time since the 1950s. Zinedine Zidane was still doubted by many at the start of 2016/17, but his subsequent exploits mean he must now be considered among the best coaches in the world. Defending both their domestic and continental crowns will be the aim for Madrid this term, although that will be far from easy even with such a gifted squad as theirs. Theo Hernandez and Dani Ceballos have been added to the ranks to help the capital club achieve their objectives, while Monaco striker Kylian Mbappe continues to be linked with a big-money move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Given the nature of the two clubs’ ambitions, it is extremely rare for both Madrid and Barcelona to enjoy successful seasons in the same year. The former’s glory last term meant the latter therefore struggled, with the Copa del Rey all they had to show for their efforts in terms of silverware. Luis Enrique is no longer at the Camp Nou following his decision to step aside at the end of 2016/17, so Ernesto Valverde will be leading Barcelona at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on Sunday. Results do not usually matter in friendly matches, but El Clasico is perhaps an exception to the rule.
Zidane could make changes to his team following a 4-1 loss to Manchester City earlier this week. It is still not clear whether Cristiano Ronaldo will play against Barcelona, while Gareth Bale is reportedly a transfer target for Manchester United but should still start. Newcomers Ceballos and Hernandez may receive their first taste of the Clasico, while fringe members of the squad such as Nacho, Marcos Llorente and Mateo Kovacic will be keen to make their mark ahead of the new campaign.
Neymar has been heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain in the current window, but he is still likely to play a part against Madrid this weekend. Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez will also be involved in a star-studded forward line, while new signing Nelson Semedo could be given a chance to shine at right-back. Elsewhere, Sergio Busquets, Gerard Pique, Andres Iniesta, Ivan Rakitic and Samuel Umtiti will all feature in some capacity, while youngsters such as Munir, Marlon and Carles Alena could also be handed some game time.
Taking everything into account, it could be worth backing Barcelona to come out on top. The match will almost certainly lack the intensity of competitive Clasicos, but it should still be an entertaining watch; although there is little to choose between the two teams in terms of quality, the Catalans may just about edge it. Another wager worth considering is both teams to score, while over 2.5 goals to be netted in total looks like a virtual certainty.
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