Pride, position, and more at stake as Real host season's first Clasico

Xabi Alonso is set for his first El Clasico as a manager when Real Madrid host Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu in LaLiga tonight. While Barca would be hoping to leapfrog leaders Real Madrid in the points table, Los Blancos would look for a much-needed victory after a bleak record last season. Here are some interesting facts ahead of the much-anticipated contest: 

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El Clasico: The Eternal Divide

• Barcelona are targeting a fifth straight win over Real Madrid in all competitions, something they have only previously achieved under Pep Guardiola, from 2008 to 2010.
• However, Real have won seven of their last 11 LaLiga clashes with Barcelona (L4).
• Kylian Mbappe has scored 11 goals in eight appearances against Barcelona in all competitions, including five in his four Clasicos (all of which he has lost). This is also his most against a non-French side in his club career.
• Flick's Barca won all four Clasicos last season, scoring a total of 16 goals. These numbers would certainly put extra pressure on Xabi Alonso in his first Clasico as manager.
• Lamine Yamal scored in three of four Clasico's last season.
• Barcelona are two points behind Real Madrid at the summit of LaLiga, and a win for Barca at the Santiago Bernabeu would see Flick's men pull ahead.
• Marcus Rashford will be desperate to get his first taste of El Clasico this week, and his nine goal involvements in all competitions this term (five goals, four assists) are the most of any Barca player, one ahead of Yamal (three goals, five assists).
• Barca have not lost any of their previous 15 away games in LaLiga (W11 D4).
• Seven of the last eight Real Madrid coaches have lost their first meeting with Barca in LaLiga, with the exception being Zinedine Zidane, who won 2-1 at Camp Nou in April 2016.
• Madrid have won their last eight home games in the league and could win nine in a row for the first time since February 2015.