El Clásico Preview and Betting Tips - Real Madrid vs. Barcelona

  • In Charles Meshell
  • Sat, Mar 2nd, 2019 4:02:40 am
  • By Charles Meshell - ROI Capper


Predictions and betting tips for Real Madrid vs. Barcelona, who face off Saturday in another edition of the El Clásico.

El Clásico Preview

The Spanish capital will be the center of the footballing world when the country's two largest clubs meet for the fourth time this season. Real Madrid will face Barcelona for another installment of the El Clasico, and this historic rivalry should be worth the price of admission.


Real Madrid vs. Barcelona
Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, Madrid, Spain
3-2-2019 - 2:45 pm ET / 7:45 pm GMT - beIN Sports


Real Madrid enters match day 26 off a humbling 0-3 loss on Wednesday night to Barcelona. The ‎Madridista's must regroup and hope to grab their first victory against the Catalan's this season.

Santiago Solari has been a breath of fresh since taking over the managerial responsibilities this past October. Julen Lopetegui was relieved of his duties after the most miserable run of form, opening the door for the former Real Madrid midfielder, who has instilled confidence back into this massive club.

Solari's Future With The Club

The Argentine head-man will be judged heavily on the result provided by his troops during round 26. Solari was assigned the full-time coaching responsibilities shortly after accepting a caretaker role with the team, and he now understands he must get a positive result to assure his future with the club, who are known for shipping out managers without a moments notice.

Solari's job was not made any more comfortable with his squad playing their third match over the past eight days, and now with a Champions League fixture set for Wednesday night against a determined Ajax side, the Madrid manager indeed has his work cut out for him as match time arrives.

The Madridista front-line has yet to be determined, with the Karim Benzema, Vinícius Júnior, Gareth Bale, Marco Asensio, and Lucas Vázquez all in consideration to make the final eleven.

Solari has been rumored to sit the teams leading goal scorer Karim Benzema. The French-man has been the teams most reliable danger-man since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to Juventus over the Summer, and his availability will be critical to his team's overall success on multiple fronts, accounting for 21 goals and 4 assists in all competitions.

Gareth Bale has also been a topic of conversation as El Clasico approaches. The Welsh-man seems to have worn out his welcome while at the Santiago Bernabéu, after openly discussing his frustrations with the club. Bale now appears likely to come off the bench, although his pace and attacking abilities with the ball at his feet can always worry opposing teams, it is hard to say what we can expect from the Wales import if given an opportunity to shine.

Los Blancos will be counting on the contributions of their newest phenom to wear the royal white kit. Vinícius Júnior has been a real spark plug since given starters minutes; the young Brazilian gives Real Madrid a true threat racing down the wings, able to break down defenders with an array of silky smooth movements in tight areas, the talented forward can be a real difference maker when lined up against the Catalan's.

Team Prop
Real Madrid - Over 1.5  -110 / 1.91 - Goals

The 33 times La Liga champs are in a must-win situation to keep their slim title hopes alive. Real Madrid are currently in 3rd place with an overall record of 15-3-7, holders of 48 points they start the matchday nine points behind their eternal rivals.

Barcelona is full of confidence after dismantling Real Madrid again for the second time this season. The Catalans have been the dominant side when matched up with Los Blancos, producing a record of 2-1-0 with a goal differential of +7, the visitors enter this contest as the bookmaker's favorites to win once again.

Ernesto Valverde has enjoyed his time in charge of the Blaugrana, after making a move to his former club in 2017. The Spanish manager understands Barcelona's culture, having served his time with the La Liga giants during his playing days, Valverde has been a seamless fit towards the team's overall goal's.

The Blaugrana's Treble Quest

The visitors find themselves in contention for a rare treble during the 2018-2019 campaign. Barca currently leads the Spanish top flight table in pursuit of their 26th domestic championship, while also being a participant in the Champions League round of 16 and a finalist for the Copa Del Rey. The team last achieved that in accomplishment in 2015, becoming the only club to have ever won multiple trebles in Europe.

Valverde will have more freedom to select his eleven starters. The Catalans are not set to resume EUFA responsibilities until the following week, allowing the Spaniard to be as aggressive as he needs to be in pursuit of a season sweep.

There should be no secret as to who the visitors will send out on their own front-line. Luiz Suarez and Ousmane Dembélé are scheduled to handle the supporting cast duties, with Lionel Messi the featured star within Barcelona's overall plan of attack. The trio has been dynamic when paired together, combining for 49 goals and 20 assists during the La Liga schedule.

Messi was missing during the team's first matchup in October, despite the Argentine's absence the Catalan's produced a 5-1 winner while at the Camp Nou. The team's undisputed leader has always relished the opportunity to face Los Blancos, scoring a total of 26 goals in all competitions, while holding the record for El Clasico's with 18, giving the world's best player plenty of value to find the back of the net in his 41st meeting with Real Madrid all-time.

Team Prop
Barcelona - Over 1.5  -120 / 1.83 - Goals

Barcelona has been somewhat lucky on the injury front. Only Rafhina has officially been ruled out of Saturday's contest, giving the visitors a full assortment of choices to select from as the match progresses, with the Blaugrana attempting to eliminate Real Madrid from any title contention.


Real Madrid vs. Barcelona - Match Prediction

The 189th El Clasico should be a true masterpiece. Real Madrid comes in leading the all-time series with 95 wins, while Barcelona has collected 94 during Spain's top match. The difference between these two European brands has been minimal, and I anticipate seeing the best each club has to offer while in the Spanish capital.

Real Madrid understands they must score goals to compete with Barca's effective assault. Los Blanco's will feel more comfortable while on their pitch, averaging 2.6 goals per match domestically, the whites tend to find the back of the net while at the Santiago Bernabéu.

The hosts have become quite dangerous down the wings under Solari's rule. The Madridista's will surely want to test Barcelona's weakness to guard such situations, using the team's pace to place the Blaugrana on their heels, using their combination of talented individuals to create effective shots on target.

Barcelona has come accustomed to lighting up the scoreboard when matched up with Real Madrid this season. Barca has especially enjoyed playing at the Bernabéu, scoring a minimum of 3 goals in 5 of the last 6 times at the famed stadium.

Barca has been especially effective at exploiting Real Madrid's weakness in counter-attacking scenarios, slicing Los Blancos up in a systematic manner, expect to see the Catalan's in a well-rehearsed sprint when given the opportunity to strike.

Match Prop
Both Teams To Score in 1st Half   +220 / 3.2

I expect to see another instant classic when the opening whistle blows. These two sides are known for high scoring outputs when matched together, with the total surpassing 2.5 goals in 25 of the last 29 meetings in all competitions, I project another multi-goal performance by both competing sides.


Real Madrid vs. Barcelona - Betting Tips

Over 1.25  -115 / 1.87  - Total 1st Half Goals
Both Teams To Score and Over 2.5 Goals  -135 / 1.74

Odds Provided By BookMaker


 

All Picks Verified Through Cappersenterprise on Twitter @Cappersentrprze


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