Real Madrid Given Boost by Barcelona Injuries Ahead of El Clasico

This weekend brings the first Clasico of the 26/27 season, as Real Madrid travel to Barcelona for match day ten of the La Liga season. 

Considering the team are already six points behind Hansi Flick's side, and performances have been inconsistent, there has been a lot of angst heading into the game, knowing that a defeat could make the lead already insurmountable, even at this early stage of the campaign. 

However, there is some positive news for Real Madrid fans to take into the game. Indeed so, as Barcelona are looking pretty deflated squad wise. In their defeat to PSG in the UEFA Champions League last night, attacking midfielder Dani Olmo picked up an injury in the first half, and will be out for four weeks as a result, meaning he will miss El Clasico. 

This news comes in the same week that defenders Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia picked up injuries that mean they will also miss the game, leaving Barcelona with just two available centre backs in Pau Cubarsi and Gerard Martin, with the latter being a converted left back. 

The last time this fixture was played, back in May, Barcelona kept a clean sheet with Garcia starting at right back, and Olmo registered an assist. So, from these injuries alone, they are weaker than they were for the game five months ago, which has to be a positive. 

Furthermore, the two goals were scored by Marcus Rashford and Ferran Torres, who are no longer at the club. So everybody who directly contributed to a goal, as well as a defender who played the full 90, will not be available on Sunday. 

Now, the caveat to that is Lamine Yamal was injured for that game, and he will play this weekend. Real Madrid know about his threat only all too well. Plus, Fermin Lopez - who came on for Olmo last night - did score in the first Clasico last season. So, it is hardly bare bones for Flick's side, but you try to take any advantage that you can possibly get in a sport of fine margins. 

The above shows that Barcelona can still be a serious threat going forward, but we already knew that. It will be defensively that Real Madrid can hurt them. They conceded four goals and gave up seven big chances to PSG. For the fourth goal, Joao Cancelo was completely asleep at the back post, allowing Fabian Ruiz to ghost in and score. It is that sort of defending, or lack there of, that can be exposed at the Camp Nou on Sunday evening.