Real Madrid vs Barcelona: Who will take this early-season El Clasico?
by Bradley Gibbs | by Bradley Gibbs
Blaugrana first to blink
As has often been the case over the years in the Spanish top division, the 2025/26 title race appears to be between Real Madrid and Barcelona. It’s early days, of course, but it is Sunday’s visitors who’ve blinked first.
Hansi Flick’s men have dropped points just twice this season, tying with Rayo Vallecano on gameday three, before losing both heavily and unexpectedly to Sevilla on gameday eight, leaving them lagging slightly behind in the race for supremacy.
Fortunately, that loss to Sevilla hasn’t turned out to be as costly as it could’ve been, with Real Madrid losing to city rivals Atletico on gameday seven. As a result, Los Blancos have a slender lead at the top of the LaLiga table, leading their fierce rivals by just two points.
Of course, if the men in white can get the job done on Sunday, then they’ll open up a much more commanding lead, but if the Barca boys can cause a bit of an upset at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, then they will be the ones to climb to the top of the tree.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona key details
This will be the first El Clasico of the 2025/26 season, with the teams also due to meet in Catalonia in May of next year, which if both teams can enjoy strong campaigns, could turn out to be a title deciding game.
Sunday’s El Clasico will take place at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu in the Spanish capital of Madrid.
Here are all the key Real Madrid vs Barcelona details:
Date: Sunday, October 26th
Kick off time: 10:30 EST
Venue: Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
Where to watch: ESPN+
To confirm, stateside viewers can watch the action unfold live from the Spanish capital by tuning into ESPN+ and 10:30 EST.
Play El Clasico right with these player props
Right, it’s time to get stuck into some viable bets. If you’re interested in betting on one of the biggest games of the European soccer season, then maybe try the below player props, both of which look nicely priced (at the time of writing).
Arda Guler to Score or Assist
Currently available around the +145 mark at DraftKings, Arder Guler looks like a nice bet to either score or register an assist in Sunday’s huge game.
Let’s be real, the young midfielder is one of the hottest prospects in the game right now, with the Turk stepping up to the plate this season under Xabi Alonso, filling a sizable role in the starting XI.
Guler has been one of Madrid’s chief creators this season, providing four assists in LaLiga, while he’s also not shied away from his scoring responsibilities either, notching three times, averaging a very pleasing 1.07 goals and assists per 90 minutes. Such a number is not easy to ignore.
The 20-year-old is also the fourth-best Los Blancos player (of the regulars) in terms of shots per 90 minutes, averaging 2.45 shots per 90, while he ranks as the best in the squad for expected assisted goals and key passes (= passes leading directly to a shot). He’s definitely one to keep an eye on.
Pedri 1+ Shots on Target
A second player prop that has me salivating here is ‘Pedri 1+ Shots on Target’ at -105, which looks a little too generous for my liking.
Sure, there are several Barcelona players more known for their goalscoring exploits, but Pedri is often the man to come up with big goals in the biggest of games, while the midfield maestro, who is capable of controlling a game on his own, is no stranger to pulling the trigger from range, often with deadly accuracy.
At home to Girona last week, Pedri came up with a timely goal, taking two shots in the match, while he’s also had multiple punts at goal in games against Real Sociedad, Sevilla, Levante and Mallorca this season, testing the keeper in each of those four games.
The Spaniard also has a taste for shots in this fixture, registering shots on target against Real Madrid in both LaLiga and the Copa del Rey last season. I’m betting he can repeat that here.
