Clasico: Bellingham vs Pedri at Bernabéu

Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in the first El Clásico of the 2025/26 season at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday, with Madrid two points clear atop LaLiga and both sides carrying just one defeat. Real will have Dani Carvajal and Trent Alexander‑Arnold available but are without David Alaba and Antonio Rüdiger, while Barcelona are missing Raphinha and coach Hansi Flick is suspended from the touchline. The fixture arrives with added spice after Barcelona won all four meetings last season and with stars including Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal prominent in the rivalry — Yamal has even accused refereeing bias toward Madrid. Jude Bellingham, recently back from shoulder surgery and under scrutiny over his England place, is expected to try to make a statement at the Bernabéu, while Marcus Rashford starting for Barça makes this a rare Clasico featuring two English starters. Tactically the game is finely poised: Xabi Alonso’s Madrid have tightened up defensively while Barcelona’s high defensive line and history of exploiting offside situations promise an open, end‑to‑end contest. With a global audience measured in the hundreds of millions, the midfield duel between Bellingham and Pedri and the wider star matchups ensure the game will be both a sporting decider and a major TV spectacle.