Official: Barcelona starting XI against Real Madrid | La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona finally gear up to take on their biggest challenge of the season so far. Travelling to the Santiago Bernabeu, La Blaugrana will be facing off against Real Madrid in La Liga. For Barcelona, victory is a must if they want to maintain their momentum and increase their lead at the top of the table.

After dismantling Bayern Munich with a 4-1 scoreline at the Montjuic Stadium, confidence and momentum is surely going to be high within Hansi Flick’s team. However, becoming too overconfident against a team like Real Madrid is never a good idea either.

In every minute of the game, La Blaugrana will need to be alert and aware, and only by doing so would they have a chance to overcome the hurdle of Los Blancos away from home. To help with that, Hansi Flick has fielded a strong starting eleven and it has now been officially released by Barcelona.

Inaki Pena remains the man trusted in goal after Hansi Flick expressed his own faith in the Spanish goalkeeper. He faced some problems against Bayern Munich but managed to keep his composure for much of the game and that will be needed once again against Real Madrid.

The two central defenders ahead of Pena are Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez. Both of the Spanish defenders have been Hansi Flick’s trusted partnership in the back line and they have not disappointed so far in any way whenever they have played together.

On either flank, Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde are the two full-backs entrusted by Hansi Flick to cover the wide channels by providing both offensive assistance and defensive cover to their back-line.

The two defensive midfielders will be Pedri and Marc Casado once again. Their combination has clicked well for Barcelona this season and the balance of both attacking firepower and defensive work rate has been a key component in helping Hansi Flick’s team play as well as it does.

Right ahead of the two Spaniards, another compatriot of theirs joins them in the starting eleven. Fermin Lopez, just as he did against Bayern Munich, starts as Barça’s attacking midfielder and he will be helped on the flanks by Raphinha and Lamine Yamal.

Lastly, the spearhead of the attack will be none other than Robert Lewandowski. With 12 goals in La Liga so far, the Polish striker is the leading goalscorer in the Spanish First Division and he will be aiming for even more goals in this game.