Real v Barca: Interesting facts and more ahead of tonight’s Clasico 

Defending champions Real Madrid are set to host archrivals Barcelona in a LaLiga game at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight. 

The match is scheduled to begin at 1:00am [Saturday] Bangladesh time.

As anticipation surrounding the mouthwatering El Clasico rises, here we present you with some interesting facts regarding one of the greatest rivalries in sporting history: 

• This is set to be the first El Clasico for Kylian Mbappe, who made a sensational switch to Real Madrid from PSG in June this year. 
• After 10 games, Real Madrid (24) sit three points behind leaders Barcelona (27) on standings in LaLiga. 
• Barcelona have lost only one game this season in LaLiga -- a 4-2 defeat at Osasuna last month. They have won the other nine matches. 
• Real Madrid, meanwhile, have won seven and drawn three.
• A win or a draw tonight could see Real Madrid equal the longest unbeaten run in LaLiga history (43 matches), set by Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona between 2017 and 2018.  
• Real Madrid have not been beaten in league action since 25 September 2023, when they went down 3-1 to rivals Atletico. Their unbeaten run in La Liga now stands at 42 matches, with 31 wins and 11 draws in that span.
• Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior has been involved in seven goals in his last four games in El Clasico in all competitions, scoring five and laying on two assists.
• Barcelona have scored 33 goals in 10 league games under new manager Hansi Flick – only Real Madrid icon Zinedine Zidane has enjoyed a more prolific start through 10 games as a manager in LaLiga this century (34).
• Three of the nine players in the big five European Leagues to be involved in 10 or more goals this season are from Barcelona -- Robert Lewandowski (12 goals, 2 assists), Lamine Yamal (4 goals, 6 assists) and Raphinha (5 goals, 5 assists).
• Each of the last five Barcelona coaches -- Xavi, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setien, Ernesto Valverde and Luis Enrique -- have lost their first competitive Clasico, with Gerardo Martino the last to oversee a victory on his first taste of the fixture (2-1 in 2013).
• Lamine Yamal has six assists in LaLiga this season, becoming the first Barca player to reach that figure within the opening 10 matchdays since Lionel Messi in 2014-15 (seven).
• Real Madrid have won each of their last four matches against Barcelona in all competitions. Los Blancos could now record five straight victories in El Clasico fixtures for just the second time in the last 59 years, having done so between 2020 and 2022.
• Carlo Ancelotti could become only the third coach to win five or more successive Clasicos in the history of the fixture, after Miguel Munoz between 1962 and 1965 (seven) and Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2010 (five).
• On their own turf, Real have won four of their last five meetings with Barca (one defeat), winning each of their last two. They have not won three straight home Clasicos in the competition since they enjoyed a run of four consecutive wins between 1988 and 1991. 

Injury updates: 

• Real Madrid will miss goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, centre back David Alaba and captain Dani Carvajal along with forward Rodrygo in the El Clasico.
• Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen and key defender Ronald Araujo will be absent, but Gavi, Frenkie De Jong, and Dani Olmo are expected to be available.