MADRID, SPAIN - FEBRUARY 26: coach Zinedine Zidane of Real Madrid during the UEFA Champions League match between Real Madrid v Manchester City at the Santiago Bernabeu on February 26, 2020 in Madrid Spain (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
Real Madrid desperate for a win in El Clasico against Barcelona
The tables have turned in the past few weeks in the lead-up to the clash between Real Madrid and Barcelona.
Just a few weeks ago Real Madrid were riding high three points up on Barcelona in the league table. But a draw against Celta Vigo and a loss to Levante has completely flipped the narrative.
Real Madrid now find themselves two points adrift of the Catalans and coming off a loss at home in the Champions League against Manchester City. Heading into another edition of El Clasico, it is Madrid who find themselves under pressure.
Zinedine Zidane’s team need to win if they want to have any hopes of winning the league. Perhaps more importantly, they just need a win.
“It’s a delicate moment because we’ve not won in our stadium for three games now,” Zidane said in his pre-match press conference, referring to the City loss, the Celta Vigo draw and the Real Sociedad Copa del Rey exit.
“But those that know football know that these things can happen. We need positive support.”
Source: Marca
Madrid need to win a game at home and it just so happens that, in the middle of this bad run, their next opponent is Barcelona.
To make matter worse, Real Madrid haven’t won a league Clasico at home since the 2014/15 season when Carlo Ancelotti was manager. Since then, they’ve suffered some heavy defeats including a 4-0 and a 3-0 in 2015 and 2017, respectively.
Last season, Madrid lost again 3-0 in the Copa del Rey followed by a 1-0 loss in the league to Barcelona side who were nothing special under Ernesto Valverde.
The onus is on Real Madrid to produce the result. The initiative falls on them because a draw is not the worst result in the world for Barcelona. The Catalans, of course, want to win but a draw would still see them ahead in the standings. Barcelona manager Quique Setién is fully aware of their opponent’s predicament.
Zidane is likely to feature the same line-up against Manchester City with the addition of Toni Kross being the only change.
Perhaps the lone advantage Real Madrid have is their depth on the bench. Given their injuries, Barcelona have no difference maker on the bench whereas Madrid could have Gareth Bale should he not start.
Both teams head into the match having had an uneven season dropping more points than in prior seasons. Barcelona have even had a change in manager.
If Zidane and Real Madrid want to hang their head on something it’s that they were the better team in the game at the Camp Nou. But the same could be said for Barcelona.
For some reason, both sides seem to perform better in the others own backyard.
Real Madrid have everything to lose if they don’t win. It would mean a five point deficit in the league and if they aren’t able to come back against Man City, it would mean an end to another disastrous season.
