SEATTLE - The 256th edition of El Clásico is projected to be a title-deciding clash between the two biggest clubs in Spain. The newly renovated Santiago Bernabéu will be the venue for the last El Clásico of the season with Real Madrid leading LaLiga with 78 points, eight ahead of archrivals Barcelona.
With the Spanish league being the last possible piece of silverware available for Xavi Hernández's team, the 'Culés' will do their best to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat against Real Madrid at a ground where they haven't won since 2022.
The all-time head-to-head, to be held Sunday (April 21) remains pretty even despite Real Madrid's recent dominance, with the "Merengues" winning 104 games to the 'Blaugranas' 99 wins (52 draws).
Real Madrid - 1st place in LaLiga (78 points, +47 GD)
- Seeks to do the 'double' over Barcelona for the first time since 2020-21 (win both league matches in the same season).
- Real Madrid has only lost one of its last 35 LaLiga games dating back to last season (27-1-7 W-L-D); their only league loss this season came vs Atlético Madrid in September (19-0-6 since then).
- In fact, the only team able to beat Real Madrid in all competitions this season is Atlético Madrid (losses in LaLiga and Copa del Rey); "Los Blancos" have an unbeaten record of 34-0-9 vs every other opponent in 2023-24.
- Real Madrid has made its home ground a fortress; they are currently on a 20-game unbeaten streak in league play at the Santiago Bernabéu (17-0-3).
- Vinícius Júnior (MAD): faced Barcelona more often than any other opponent in his professional career (16 games); he has six goals and three assists vs Barcelona, including a hat trick in their most recent clash (Jan. 14 in the Supercopa de España).
- Jude Bellingham (MAD): 16 goals this LaLiga season, one shy of Artem Dovbyk in first place; since 1990, only four players have won the Pichichi Award in their first LaLiga season (Lewandowski 2022-23, Ronaldo 1996-97, Romario 1993-94 and Bebeto in 1992-93).
- Bellingham: only Antoine Griezmann (21) has scored more goals for LaLiga teams in all comps than the English midfielder this season (20).
- Carlo Ancelotti (MAD): record of 8-7-0 W-L-D vs Barcelona as Real Madrid manager; only lost more games vs Atlético Madrid (8).
Barcelona - 2nd place in LaLiga (70 points, +28 GD)
- Has lost each of its last three games against Real Madrid; has not lost four in a row vs "Los Blancos" since dropping five straight between 2020-22.
- Its 4-1 loss to PSG in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals snapped a 13-game unbeaten streak in all comps (10-0-3); they have only lost one league game since the start of 2024 (5-3 loss vs Villarreal on Jan. 27).
- Barcelona has lost both of its games this season vs Real Madrid; they haven't lost 3+ games to "Los Blancos" in a single season since 2012-13 (1-3-2 W-L-D that year).
- Xavi Hernández (BAR): played 42 games against Real Madrid as a Barcelona player (17-13-12 W-L-D); only three players have had a better winning percentage against Real Madrid in their history (Alves and Busquets - 23, Messi - 20, Piqué - 19).
- Xavi: managed nine games as head coach vs Real Madrid (4-5-0 W-L-D), his most losses vs a single opponent in his managerial career.
- Robert Lewandowski (BAR): 20 goals in all competitions for Barcelona this season (leads team); hasn't finished a season without reaching at least 30 goals since 2014-15 (eight straight seasons with 30+ goals).
- Lewandowski: his 13 LaLiga goals this season are his lowest in a single league campaign since his first season at Borussia Dortmund (8 in 2010-11).
- Lamine Yamal (BAR): played in 42 of the team's 46 total matches across all comps this season as a 16-year-old; only İlkay Gündoğan (45) has played in more.
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