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Real Madrid hope to turn around their miserable Clasico form as they host Barcelona at the Bernabeu on Sunday in the latest edition of the world’s most famous football rivalry.
En route to a largely barren season through the 2024/25 campaign, Los Blancos suffered defeat in all of their four meetings with Barcelona, including an embarrassing 4-0 thrashing last time they squared off in Madrid.
This time around, they have new boss Xabi Alonso at the helm, who enters his first-ever Clasico as Real Madrid coach with a two-point lead atop the La Liga table.
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live score
| Score (1H) | Goal scorers | |
| Real Madrid | 0 | – |
| Barcelona | 0 | – |
Location: Santiago Bernabeu Stadium (Madrid, Spain)
Referee: Cesar Soto Grado
Starting lineups:
Real Madrid (4-2-3-1, right to left): 1. Courtois (GK) — 8. Valverde, 24. Huijsen, 3. Militao, 18. Carreras — 14. Tchouameni, 6. Camavinga— 15. Guler, 5. Bellingham, 7. Vinicius Jr. — 10. Mbappe
Barcelona (4-2-3-1, right to left): 25. Szczesny (GK) — 23. Kounde, 24. E. Garcia, 5. Cubarsi, 3. Balde — 21. De Jong, 8. Pedri — 10. Lamine Yamal, 16. F. Lopez, 14. Rashford — 7. F. Torres.
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Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live updates, highlights from El Clasico
2nd min: Chance, Real Madrid! The home side is already viewing a lead as Vinicius Jr. is fouled in the penalty area as Lamine Yamal steps in and the Brazilian kicks his foot! The referee points to the penalty spot!
BUT NO!!!! There’s a VAR review here, and….NO PENALTY!!! Not only are there questions about Vinicius Jr. possibly being offside in the buildup, but the referee waves away the decision! Lamine doesn’t get a touch on the ball, but because Vinicius kicks the back of his foot, after review the referee says he was the one to commit the foul!
The television broadcast is beside itself with the reversal, but in truth, very few Madrid players are protesting, and the decision is the correct one.
Kickoff: The first Clasico of the season is under way at the Bernabeu!
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona: Pre-match commentary, analysis, more
15 mins to kickoff: Barcelona haven’t won five straight against Real Madrid since the glory days of Lionel Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets from 2008-2010.
A win today at the Bernabeu would not only match that record, but would also take them top of the La Liga table!
30 mins to kickoff: Even as Real Madrid have struggled to get results in recent El Clasico matches, Kylian Mbappe has been outstanding up front. The Frenchman has scored four goals in the last four meetings with Barcelona, and will hope to continue that record against today’s visitors at the Bernabeu.
KYLIAN MBAPPÉ ESTÁ PREPARADO 😍🤍
— Real Madrid Fans 🤍 (@MadridismoreaI) October 26, 2025
45 mins to kickoff: Today is the first time in El Clasico history that two English players will face off against one another in the opposing starting lineups! Well done to Jude Bellingham and Marcus Rashford for making history in the world’s most famous rivalry.
For the first time in ELCLASICO history two English players will face off against each other 🏴
Marcus Rashford vs. Jude Bellingham 🍿 pic.twitter.com/Od2cAPOPGo
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 26, 2025
1 hour to kickoff: Lineups are in! It’s largely as expected for both sides, but there are slight tweaks from each manager.
For Real Madrid, Arda Guler has excelled in a central role this season, either at the No. 10 spot in place of an injured Jude Bellinham or back in a deeper role after Bellingham’s return. Today, however, he starts out wide, with Eduardo Camavinga brought back into the lineup and Franco Mastantuono on the bench. It’s a gamble from Xabi Alonso.
For Barcelona, Ferran Torres is deployed up front, with Marcus Rashford on the left wing in place of an injured Raphinha. Fermin Lopez plays at the No. 10, while Pedri drops into a deeper role in midfield with Marc Casado dropping out.
1 hour 15 mins to kick: Real Madrid fans have grown used to suffering through an injury crisis the last few years, but it’s a relatively new thing for Barcelona. The Catalan giants are most notably without their goalkeeper Joan Garcia as well as Ballon d’Or contender Raphinha, but it goes beyond just that.
Robert Lewandowski is missing up front, as is regular No. 10 Dani Olmo. Gavi is still missing after his knee surgery, and even their manager Hansi Flick is suspended for a red card last time out.
Raphinha is at least on hand to show his support from the stands, even if he cannot play.
Raphinha is here to support the team ❤️
— Reshad Rahman (@ReshadFCB) October 26, 2025
1 hour 30 mins to kick: Today’s referee is Cesar Soto Grado, who La Liga announced only yesterday as in charge of the match. As both Real Madrid and Barcelona (but mostly the former) get louder and louder with their anti-referee agenda, the league has pulled tried to combat the narrative by leaving their appointments until the last moment.
La Liga hopes that Grado’s track record of experience — he was the only official to make 21 appearances last season, for example — will give him an edge in today’s match.
Barcelona fans will see their record of six wins, three draws, and five losses in matches officiated by Grado as less than stellar. In fact, the last Clasico Grado refereed was…the last time Real Madrid won, the 3-2 Blancos win referenced below!
1 hour 45 mins to kick: The last time Real Madrid beat Barcelona was on April 11, 2024 when Jude Bellingham scored a 91st minute winner here at the Bernabeu to not only secure three points but put themselves essentially clean through to the title, as they would go on to win the league crown by a whopping 10 points that season.
For Real Madrid fans, that feels eons ago now.
2 hours to kickoff: For a re-tooled Real Madrid side, this will be the first El Clasico for a number of key figures in the squad, like Andreas Carreras, Dean Huijsen (if he is fit), and Franco Mastantuono.
Most importantly, however, this is Alonso’s first go at the rivalry as manager. He played 30 times against Barcelona as a player, the most of any opposition club, but struggled in those games, winning just eight, drawing seven, and suffering 15 defeats.
Xabi Alonso: “We know the importance of the Sunday match. We’re not exaggerating it or giving it dimensions bigger than reality. We know its value and appreciate it because it’s a Clásico.” pic.twitter.com/jLIrx3KJRJ
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) October 23, 2025
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona kick off time
This La Liga match kicks off from the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday, October 26 at 5:15 p.m. local time in Madrid, Spain. Here’s how that time translates across some of the major territories around the globe:
| Date | Kickoff time | |
| USA/Canada | Sun, Oct. 26 | 11:15 a.m. ET |
| USA/Canada | Sun, Oct. 26 | 8:15 a.m. PT |
| UK | Sun, Oct. 26 | 4:15 p.m. GMT |
| Australia | Mon, Oct. 27 | 2:15 a.m. AEDT |
| India | Sun, Oct. 26 | 8:45 p.m. IST |
Current La Liga standings
| Pos. | Team | GP | Points | W-D-L | Goal Diff. | GF-GA |
| 1. | Real Madrid | 9 | 24 | 8-0-1 | +11 | 20-9 |
| 2. | Barcelona | 9 | 22 | 7-1-1 | +14 | 24-10 |
| 3. | Villarreal | 9 | 17 | 5-2-2 | +6 | 16-10 |
| 4. | Atletico Madrid | 9 | 16 | 4-4-1 | +6 | 16-10 |
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona lineups, team news
With Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba both already missing at the back, Real Madrid have to make a call on the fitness of Raul Asencio who was withdrawn late in the midweek Champions League win over Juventus. Thankfully, Dean Huijsen could be fit enough for a return from his muscle injury, just in time to take over.
Two defenders could be recalled as well, with Trent Alexander-Arnold and Dani Carvajal both potentially set for a return, although they could be brought back slowly with just a place on the bench for now.
Arda Guler thrived in a deeper midfield role midweek, and that will likely keep Eduardo Camavinga out of the XI for another game. Xabi Alonso has a call to make as he continues to rotate Franco Mastantuono and Brahim Diaz on the right wing opposite Vinicius Jr. on the left.
Real Madrid starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Courtois (GK) — Valverde, Huijsen, Militao, Carreras — Tchouameni, Camavinga — Guler, Bellingham, Vinicius Jr. — Mbappe
Real Madrid subs: Lunin (GK), Carvajal, Asencio, Alexander-Arnold, F. Garcia, Mendy, Ceballos, B. Diaz, Rodrygo, Mastantuono, G. Garcia, Endrick.
Like Real Madrid, Barcelona have a number of injuries to contend with for El Clasico.
Confirmed absences include Robert Lewandowski, who has been missing for much of the early season with a muscle injury, and Dani Olmo will also miss out with a calf issue.
It was thought Barcelona could get both Raphinha and Frenkie de Jong back for this match, as both have returned to training, but the former is still absent from the matchday squad, while the latter is back in the XI.
Coach Hansi Flick is suspended for the match after being sent off late in last weekend’s win over Getafe. He still had calls to make, as he had to decide where to deploy in-form Marcus Rashford, while electing to start Eric Garcia over Ronald Araujo at the back.
Barcelona starting lineup (4-2-3-1): Szczesny (GK) — Kounde, E. Garcia, Cubarsi, Balde — De Jong, Pedri — Lamine Yamal, F. Lopez, Rashford — F. Torres.
Barcelona subs: Kochen (GK), Aller (GK), Martin, Espart, Araujo, Torrents, Bernal, Casado, D. Fernandez, A. Fernandez, Bardghji.
Real Madrid vs. Barcelona live stream, TV channel
Here is how to watch the match in some of the world’s major regions:
| Region | TV | Streaming |
| USA | ESPN 2, ESPN Deportes | Fubo, WatchESPN |
| Canada | TSN3 | TSN+ |
| UK | Premier Sports 1 | Premier Player |
| Australia | beIN Sports 2 | beIN Sports Connect |
| India | — | FanCode |
