26 match days into La Liga, Real Madrid sit comfortably at the top of the standings. The men in white are on 65 points with 20 wins, five draws, and one loss to their name, while their closest competition, Girona, sit six points behind them.
Barcelona, the Merengues’ arch-rivals, are currently on 57 points and thus a complete eight points behind Carlo Ancelotti’s men.
While it is still difficult for the Blaugranas to mathematically catch up with the men in white, the next Clasico could well be the Catalans’ last-ditch hope of re-entering the race.
Preparing for the face-off
According to reports from SPORT, Thibaut Courtois and Eder Militao are both working hard to beat deadlines and make it in time to take part in El Clasico. The duo knows that the game could well decide the league title and wish to be fit for the face-off.
Having suffered ACL injuries early in the season, both players have been working on their recovery for over seven months now. They began training on the field last month, but they are still tangibly away from a return to group training and match fitness.
Courtois and Militao are in the final stretch of their recovery, but will not be risked prematurely given the seriousness of the injury. Their participation in the Clasico, needless to say, depends solely on the medical green light.
Manager Carlo Ancelotti provided an update on their condition earlier today, saying: “We have to take advantage of the international break and then the mini-break for the Copa del Rey.
“At that time they will do some work with the team. After 14 April, after Mallorca, they could be back.”
The next Clasico is set to take place on the weekend of April 20-21, giving the duo 45 days to recuperate to the fullest.
Two to the good
Real Madrid have got the better of Barcelona twice this season, boasting of a 100% win record over Xavi’s men in 2023-24. The third meeting is scheduled to be held at the Santiago Bernabeu, giving Los Blancos great chances of completing the clean sweep.
Wiping off Barcelona thrice in a year while also lifting the Spanish Super Cup and La Liga would be the dream end to the season for Real Madrid, but Los Blancos must be wary of their form. After all, the eight-point gap is not impossible to overcome.
Hasibur Rahaman is a passionate sports journalist. He covers everything from cricket to field hockey, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis of sporting events, both within India and on the international stage.
