FC Barcelona enters Sunday night’s El Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou with a chance to surpass Real Madrid’s La Liga record for consecutive opening wins. Kickoff is set for 9:00 p.m. local time on October 25, 2026, with the stadium doors opening for a fixture that carries far more than standard league points.
Chasing the 1968 Record Set by Real Madrid
A victory for the blaugrana would secure a tenth consecutive win to open the La Liga season, establishing a new all-time benchmark for a domestic start. The current record belongs to Real Madrid, who strung together nine straight victories at the beginning of the 1968/69 campaign. Manager Hansi Flick acknowledged the magnitude of the fixture during his pre-match press conference, stating that the match represents “much more than three points” and offers a prime opportunity to demonstrate the team’s identity on the pitch.
Flick and Guardiola Share Historic Clásico Threshold
Hansi Flick approaches his eighth Clásico since taking charge of Barcelona in the 2024/25 season. The German manager has claimed victory in six of his previous seven meetings with Real Madrid, including the last two at home. A triumph on Sunday would allow Flick to join Pep Guardiola as the only Barcelona managers in the 21st century to defeat Real Madrid in three consecutive home matches.
Barcelona and Real Madrid Announce Matchday Squads
Barcelona released a 23-player matchday squad featuring Joan Garcia, Cancelo, Balde, Fariñas, Cubarsi, Gavi, Fermín, Pedri, G. Jesus, Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Xavi Espart, Szczesny, Adeyemi, Rodrigo, Gordon, Gerard Martin, De Jong, Bernal, Livakovic, Abdelkarim, Orian Goren, and Àlex Campos. Koundé, Eric Garcia, and Dani Olmo remain unavailable. Real Madrid countered with their own traveling list, though goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was officially ruled out after contracting the flu, clearing the way for Illia Voloshyn to enter the squad.
Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé Lead Star Power
The pitch features a direct clash between two of world football’s most productive attackers. Lamine Yamal enters the fixture with eight goals across his first nine league matches—the highest tally recorded by any player under the age of 20 in the 21st century. On the opposing side, Kylian Mbappé has compiled 12 goals in 10 career appearances against Barcelona, though he has secured only one victory in those matches.
What Time Does El Clásico Kick Off?
What time does El Clásico kick off? The match begins at 9:00 p.m. local time in Spain at Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Which players are missing for Barcelona? Manager Hansi Flick will be without Koundé, Eric Garcia, and Dani Olmo, who were omitted from the 23-player squad.
Why is Thibaut Courtois absent for Real Madrid? Real Madrid confirmed that the Belgian goalkeeper was forced to withdraw from the squad after coming down with the flu, with Illia Voloshyn taking his place.
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