Having spent six seasons at Real Madrid from 2009 to 2015, Xabi Alonso is no stranger to El Clásico. However, Sunday's edition will be very different as the legendary Spain midfielder takes on Barcelona as a manager for the first time.
Alonso's Real side heads into the match two points clear of their eternal rivals at the top of the table. Coming off a hard-fought Champions League win over Juventus, Alonso feels his team is rounding into form.
"It's a Red-Letter Day"
"We understand the significance of Sunday's game, but we're not going to read too much into it," Alonso said. "We know it's hugely important and we'll treat it as such. It's too early to be decisive in the league, but of course, it has an impact in the moment. It's a red-letter day on the calendar, for sure."
With Real dealing with significant injuries for much of the early season, Alonso will be buoyed by midfielder Jude Bellingham's performance against Juventus. After undergoing offseason shoulder surgery, the England midfielder scored the only goal in the win and appears to have turned a corner.
"He's got the ability to be involved in building the play, and the determination to get to the end of things, too," Alonso said of Bellingham. "He covers a lot of ground and he's so versatile. He's one of the most complete players in world football and I'm fortunate to have him here."
Barcelona's Selection headache
Real must improve from last season against Barcelona, where they lost all four contests across all competitions and were outscored 16-7. Should Barcelona win on Sunday, it will be only the second time they've beaten Real on five straight occasions.
"Last year was incredible, but we are now faced with a different situation," Barcelona manager Hansi Flick said. "I am positive and I think we can win in Madrid. We have a good team and we may have a player back."
The player in question is likely Denmark defender Andreas Christensen, who missed the Blaugrana's 6-1 Champions League win over Olympiacos. However, Raphinha is set to miss out with a hamstring injury, joining Robert Lewandowski (muscular) and Dani Olmo (undisclosed) as unavailable attacking options. Lamine Yamal is also dealing with a persistent groin injury.
Rashford Set for Clásico Debut
Light on firepower, Marcus Rashford could see action in his first Clásico. The England forward, on loan from Manchester United, looks revitalized in Spain and is coming off a two-goal performance in the Champions League win.
"People forget this, but 23 years of my life was with Manchester United," Rashford said. "So sometimes you just need a change. I think maybe this is the case with me and I'm enjoying everything."
Form Goes Out the Window
Despite both teams feeling good about their form heading into the match, some believe when it comes to meetings between these two Spanish giants, you can toss form right out the window.
"In a Clásico, it doesn't really matter how either team arrives," Barcelona midfielder Pedri said. "What you've done in previous games counts for little."
"I think last season we were incredible," Pedri added, reflecting on Barcelona's four wins over Real Madrid last season.