Pre-Season Friendly: Barcelona vs Real Madrid Preview

Barcelona vs Real Madrid | Saturday 29 July | AT&T Stadium| 23:00 This meeting between these two giants of world football will forever have you on the edge of your seat as the history goes way back, and even though it’s a friendly game and preparations for the coming season, we still get to witness an early “El Clasico”. To Win Barcelona 15/10 Draw 28/10 Real Madrid 13/10 Barcelona Barcelona had appointed Club legend Xavi as their new head coach in hopes of getting the Blaugrana back to their glory days and that decision did not disappoint in his first full season at the helm as he delivered stand out performances throughout the season which proved worthy of being LaLiga champions for the 2022-23 season. Barca are back in the USA, but there will be no time for sightseeing. The season kicks off on August 13, leaving a few weeks left for the Blaugrana to make the necessary preparations to start things off with a clear plan and identity. Luckily for the fans, Barcelona have scheduled must-watch games against Premier League powerhouse Arsenal, and a Clasico to follow up the electrifying match from a year ago in Las Vegas. This transfer period for Barca will be interesting with players leaving but more with the players coming in despite all the noise around the club not having the funds to sign top players. Club legends Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets parted ways with the club after many years of great service and now the Catalan giants have turned a new page with fresh players coming in. The team is not radically different from last season but tactically we will all be waiting to see what is on the manager’s mind. In theory, he could run back the 4-3-3, throw in Frenkie de Jong for Sergio Busquets and Ilkay Gundogan, recent treble winner, looks to be the perfect fit for the Blaugrana as the style of play suits the German very well. There are a lot of combinations he could try upfront with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha, but knowing Xavi, he has lots of ideas on his mind that he will be eager to try out. Real Madrid Real Madrid had underperformed last season to a significant extent and finished second in the league and were knocked out of the Champions League by Manchester City to finish the season off without any silverware – something Los Blancos are not used to. Carlo Ancelotti has his mind set on the new season ahead and its objectives with lots of work to do in the pre-season, getting players up to speed and finding the right balance and combinations that the team can benefit from. The Italian has lost some big names in the squad but has welcomed exciting new talent which have already made a big impression on the management and looks like exciting times for Los Blancos coming into the new season. One of the biggest talking points is the signing of Jude Bellingham. The English prodigy made his debut in the white colours against AC Milan and left a strong impression on management with his performance. In fact, Ancelotti sang praises of the midfielder’s abilities in his post-match press conference. Ancelotti has another young superstar in the ranks in Turkish sensation Arda Guler who has the world at his feet. Despite being just 18 years of age, he is said to be performing at a very high level in training so far and is pushing for a starting spot under the manager this term. All Real Madrid fans can be happy with the direction of which the club is going, bringing in young energetic players and planning for the future at the same time. This match may be a friendly game, but players are out to prove themselves and ensure they claim bragging rights. Prediction: Draw (28/10) This is a must-watch, and the result could go either way as both teams prepare for the new season. I expect an exciting intense game that will end in a stalemate. Written by Marc Strydom

Pre-Season Friendly: Barcelona vs Real Madrid Preview

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