Coming on the back of an impressive win against Manchester City in the preseason opener, the Catalan club's next fixture will kick off against Real Madrid on 3rd August at 7:00 PM UTC. Not only will this clash mark the first El Clasico of the 2024/25 campaign, but it will also be the first face-off between the youngsters of the teams. Featuring the likes of Pau Victor, Pablo Torre, Marc Casado, Brahim Diaz, Arda Guler, and Endrick, the match seems set to become an all-time classic.
FC Barcelona Vs Real Madrid Preview
FC Barcelona line up next against Real Madrid on 3rd August in their 2nd preseason friendly of the US Tour. Being the first Clasico fixture of the upcoming campaign, it would mark Hansi Flick's debut game against Barcelona's oldest rivals. Even though FC Barcelona has started off their new campaign with a brilliant performance against Real Madrid, it wouldn't be easy for Flick's side to keep it going against Real Madrid.
In the absence of star players like De Jong, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, and Ronald Araujo, Barcelona's youngsters would have to replicate what they did against Manchester City. From Pau Victor's go-ahead goal to some incredible saves by Pena, to a brilliant goal from Torre to the clutch moments from Astralaga, Barca would need a brilliant performance from these youngsters to face off the biggest club in European football.
Considering Real Madrid's defensive build, which is one of the best, eyes would be on Pau Victor and Lewandowski, who might start the game for Barca. Moreover, a significant presence from Torre in the attack and Casado in handling the game from his deep holding abilities would be crucial for Barca.
Needless to say, the role of Ter Stegen increases many folds to face the destructive trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vini Jr., and Rodrygo. Though Flick pointed out the issue of the team playing too deep in the match against Manchester City, chances are that the Blaugrana club might need the same to bear an attack consisting of Mbappe, Vini, and Bellingham.
Even though Real Madrid's start to their preseason campaign has yet to be relevant to their standards, the club surely has the potential to back themselves up for the game against Barca. In their 0-1 loss to AC Milan, the club lacked the presence of their biggest names, and their availability might make things difficult for Flick's side.
Scoreline Prediction
Overall, it will be an interesting contest between two of the biggest European clubs, as both Real Madrid and Barcelona will try to get past the other, making it a game for ages to come. Considering Barcelona's recent form, it wouldn't be much to expect a 2-1 performance from the Catalan side over the Los Angeles.