This Saturday afternoon, were in for another spectacle in LaLiga. Barcelona will welcome Real Madrid at the Camp Nou for 2020/21s first El Clásico. Two of Spains best will go head to head in a (hopefully) thrilling battle of wits and tactics.
This tactical analysis will serve as a preview of the clash and will try to predict both teams approach. At the end of the analysis, we will also give you our full predictions.
Predicted lineups
It’s not easy to predict the lineups for either of the teams, with both facing some injuries and uncertainties. However, when it comes to Barcelona, there shouldn’t be too many surprises. Neto will almost definitely be in goal and the backline should consist of Sergi Roberto, Gerard Piqué, Clément Lenglet and Sergiño Dest. Roberto has received a knock against Ferencváros but he should be fit to start.
In midfield, Frenkie de Jong and Sergio Busquets are a given despite Miralem Pjanić starting the Champions League clash mid-week ahead of the latter. Up front, Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati will also be on the team sheet. Antoine Griezmann, however, could again be dropped in favour of Francisco Trincão.
This would be the right call for Ronald Koeman but it’s unlikely he benches the Frenchman in such a big game, even though he should. Barcelona will be deployed in a 4-2-3-1 formation.
At this point in the season, predicting Zinedine Zidane’s tactics and his lineups is almost like trying to win the lottery. With plenty of injuries and alternations week in, week out, it’s difficult to pinpoint their strongest XI. However, Thibaut Courtois will start in goal and providing he’s fit, Sergio Ramos will partner up Raphaël Varane in the centre of defence.
The full-back positions, however, are more complicated. Both Marcelo and Ferland Mendy are fit and there is a slight chance the Frenchman is deployed on the right side with the Brazilian occupying the left. That may feel like a risky move but we’ve seen it done against Shakhtar already and there’s a logical explanation why that could be the way to go against Barcelona.
If Koeman starts Gri
