Barcelona face Real Madrid at the Camp Nou on Sunday in this season’s first Clasico with the chance to move seven points clear of their bitter rivals, and there is no shortage of talking points ahead of this always-enticing fixture.
And although famous absentees might be dominating the pre-game headlines, the post-match headlines might be devoted to a man who will be attending the game…but perhaps won’t be around for much longer.
LOPETEGUI’S LAST STAND
This game is being touted as the first Clasico in more than a decade without Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, but a bigger storyline is the likelihood that Real boss Julen Lopetegui will lead the team for the last time unless he can coerce a positive result and performance out of his players.
The speed with which Lopetegui’s Real reign has unravelled is really remarkable: it’s only just over a month since he was earning gushing praise for ushering in a bold new era following a 3-0 Champions League victory over Roma.
Since then, though, the wheels have come off, and it’s hard to escape the conclusion that Ronaldo’s departure – and the club’s subsequent failure to replace him – has played a major role in the coach’s downfall.
Only one goal and one point from the last four league games speaks for itself, and although Lopetegui could fairly plead for patience as he attempts to reshape the team, that commodity is generally in short supply at the Bernabeu. So a convincing defeat at the hands of the reigning champions would probably see Lopetegui unceremoniously dumped after just three months in the job.
IS RAFINHA THE MAN TO REPLACE MESSI?
Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde certainly has no lack of options to replace injured skipper Messi, who will be sidelined for at least another couple of weeks with a fractured arm.
Ousmane Dembele, Rafinha, Sergi Roberto, Malcom, Arturo Vidal and Munir El Haddadi are all available to step into the starting line-up, and the most likely outcome is that Rafinha will retain his place after capping a strong showing with a goal against Inter Milan in midweek.
Out of all the options, Rafinha – the younger brother of Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago – is probably the most similar to Messi in style with his ability to retain possession with sharp passing, dribble past opponents and cut inside from the right wing to attack the penalty area, and this would be the 25 year-old’s biggest chance to shine in a Barca shirt following a frustrating few years since his graduation from the youth team ranks.
It would also be a huge kick in the teeth for Dembele, who is in danger of squandering his opportunity to cement his importance to the team with worrying sloppiness both on the pitch – where he regularly concedes possession cheaply – and off the pitch amid reports he arrived nearly half an hour late before the midweek meeting with Inter.
ALBA TO EXPLOIT CARVAJAL ABSENCE?
On the other side of the pitch, a far lower profile but perhaps equally important absentee is the criminally underrated Dani Carvajal, whose month-long absence from the right-back role for Madrid has coincided precisely with the team’s shocking downturn in form.
Carvajal’s non-stop work ethic, defensive doggedness and ability to make incisive runs into opposition territory have made him a tremendous asset for Los Blancos over the last five years, and his absence with a calf injury is being keenly felt by under-fire Lopetegui, who does not appear to fully trust young Spain international Alvaro Odriozola and may again opt to select Lucas Vazquez – usually a winger – in an unaccustomed position.
Real’s weakness down the right flank – not helped by the fact that likely starting winger Gareth Bale is not always diligent at tracking back – could be ruthlessly exploited by Barca left-back Jordi Alba, who sent another reminder of his abilities with an excellent goal in the midweek win over Inter.
Assuming Valverde sticks with his usual line-up, Alba will receive support down the left flank from Philippe Coutinho. And the combination of Alba’s penetrating surges and Coutinho’s long-range shooting could present Vazquez or Odriozola – or perhaps Nacho if Lopetegui tries another approach – with a serious problem.
