Barcelona are one point away from claiming their 29th La Liga title after moving to the brink of the championship with a win at Osasuna. Hansi Flick's team hosts Real Madrid at the partially-rebuilt Camp Nou on Sunday, needing only a draw to clinch back-to-back league crowns. A victory would not only secure the title but also keep alive their chance to match the all-time record of 100 points in a season, last achieved by Jose Mourinho's Real Madrid in 2011-12 and Tito Vilanova's Barcelona the following year.
Barcelona have won 29 of their 34 league games so far, the most victories by any team at this stage. If they win their final four matches, they will break the record of 32 wins in a season, currently shared by the 2011-12 Real Madrid and 2012-13 Barcelona sides. A win over Madrid and Real Betis in the following weekend would make them the first team to win all 19 home games in a 38-match La Liga season. They are unbeaten at home this term, winning all 17 league games at Camp Nou.
Teenage forward Lamine Yamal will miss the Clásico due to a hamstring injury. Raphinha returned to the bench last weekend but did not play. Defender Jules Kounde said the team is "in great shape, very focused" and looking forward to the match. "We can win La Liga with a draw, but a win would be the best," he said.
This is the first Clásico at Camp Nou in over three years. The last meeting here, in March 2023, saw Franck Kessie score late as Xavi Hernandez's side won and opened a 12-point lead. Only once before has the La Liga title been decided by a Clásico result — in 1932, when a 2-2 draw gave Real Madrid their first league.
Real Madrid arrive in turmoil. Federico Valverde reportedly needed stitches after a training ground fight with Aurélien Tchouaméni. The team is on course for a second straight season without a major trophy. Kylian Mbappe is a doubt due to a thigh injury, leaving Vinicius Junior to lead the attack. Vinicius scored twice against Espanyol last week, delaying Barcelona's title celebration. He and Mbappe are the only current players to have scored Clásico hat-tricks. Barca and Real Madrid have met 264 times in competitive fixtures, with Real winning 106, Barcelona 105.
Hansi Flick's Barcelona can win the league by drawing with a Real Madrid side in disarray, yet insist a victory is the only acceptable outcome. The team chasing records at home will celebrate a domestic triumph while still reeling from Champions League failure. If they win all remaining games, they will surpass the 32-win mark set by Mourinho's Madrid and Vilanova's own Barca side. A perfect home season would be sealed in front of fans at a half-finished Camp Nou.
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