Barcelona Wary of Real Madrid's Revenge Ambitions

MADRID, SATURDAY – Failing to secure a single victory in last season's "El Clasico" contributed to the downfall of Real Madrid. The new coach of Real, Xabi Alonso, is expected to achieve a positive result in his first "El Clasico" at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, Madrid, on Sunday (26/10/2025) at 22:15 WIB. Barcelona's inconsistent performance at the beginning of this season presents an opportunity for Alonso to diminish the hegemony of their eternal rival.

Since being managed by Hansi Flick, Barca has consistently found ways to conquer Real. In four "El Clasico" matches last season, Flick always emerged victorious. The German coach is on the verge of matching Pep Guardiola's record, who led Barca to the longest winning streak against Real across all competitions. Guardiola won five consecutive "El Clasico" matches from 2008 to 2010.

As a giant club currently leading the temporary standings of La Liga, Real certainly does not wish to become a target for Barca once again. Moreover, the two teams have been involved in fierce rivalry for many years. This is something Pau Cubarsi is aware of ahead of the upcoming grand match. The central defender knows that Real will be very eager to avenge the four defeats from last season while also aiming to end Barca's hegemony in "El Clasico."

"Last year we showed what we're capable of against Real Madrid, beating them four times and finishing top of the table. This year will be a different game. They'll definitely want revenge, but we have to be ourselves like last season and believe in our way of playing," said Cubarsi, as quoted by The Athletic.

The style of play has become a distinct issue within Barca's internal affairs at present. Flick's tactics, which heavily rely on pressing play with a high defensive line, are beginning to be countered by their opponents. The demand to press from the moment the opponent builds an attack is also becoming difficult for Barca's players to execute. Unlike last season, they appear fatigued from playing with the high pressing intensity that Flick desires.

This was evident in the match against Girona last week. Barca indeed succeeded in securing a victory, 2-1. However, that victory was achieved through a style of play that was not pleasing to the eye. Crucial moments relied more on the brilliance of individual players such as Lamine Yamal, Marcus Rashford, or Pedri.

Furthermore, Barcelona struggled to control the game. Girona should have easily scored five goals in the first half if goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had not performed brilliantly to thwart the opponent's chances. The victory over Girona was accompanied by deep reflections from the Barcelona staff. They felt that if they faced a much more solid team with such a performance, it was certain that Barcelona would lose.

After winning three domestic titles last season, Barca started this season slowly. From nine La Liga matches, Barca dropped points twice, and both instances occurred while playing away. This trend should start to become a serious concern for Flick. Unfortunately, Flick will not be able to accompany his team from the sidelines due to receiving a red card during the match against Girona.

In addition to Flick, Barcelona is also without several of its key players. Raphinha is suffering from a thigh injury. Similarly, Dani Olmo and Gavi have not yet recovered. The good news is that Ferran Torres, who was initially doubtful, is likely to play from the start. The Spanish national team forward has the second-highest goal involvement for Barcelona, with a tally of four goals and one assist.

This will be a significant match after we lost several times last year. This year is important for us to win. We can widen the gap in the league, and it will be a spectacular match.

In addition to Real's ambition for revenge, the upcoming match is also predicted to be intense as it will be contested for the top position in the league standings. Real currently leads by a two-point margin over Barca in second place. Thus, the winner of "El Clasico" will take over the top position in the standings.

Real will strive to maintain a five-point lead in the standings. Alonso is fortunate with the minimal number of injured players in his team. His thoughts are instead consumed with deciding whether to play Brahim Diaz or Franco Mastantuono in the right winger position. Additionally, Alonso must choose between Jude Bellingham or Arda Guler as the attacking midfielder.

"This will be a big match after we lost several times last year. This year is important for us to win. We can widen the gap in the league and it will be a spectacular match," said Real goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois.

Real's performance under Alonso shows improvement compared to last season. However, there still needs to be significant enhancements in Alonso's tactical scheme. He has significantly altered the way Real plays when they do not have possession of the ball.

In addition, Real's defensive formation is much more cohesive. "Los Blancos" has become the second team in the league with the lowest average goals conceded per match. The first position is held by Deportivo Alaves with an average of 0.9 goals conceded per match. Meanwhile, Real has recorded an average of one goal conceded per match.