Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Six key duels that could decide the fate of El Clasico

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet at Camp u this weekend (Sunday, 4.15 pm CEST) in what is most erly awaited club football clash in world. Here are six direct match-ups which would well decide who takes home points.
El Clasico is always such a tight contest and this weekend’s encounter could come down to a single individual battle on football pitch.

Ahead of  Barcelona vs Real Madrid match at Camp u on Sunday, here's a look at six duels that could prove decisive. 

Marc-Andre ter Stegen vs Karim Benzema

Benzema is in terrific form and comes into ElClasico with nine goals from his eight LaLiga Santander appearances so far and after helping France to a Nations League triumph with his excellent performances in Final Four, Real Madrid’s main man in attack appears to be unstoppable. However, ter Stegen has mand to keep Benzema at bay over years. In fact, Frenchman has scored just twice across 1,075 minutes y’ve shared on pitch in previous ElClásico meetings. number nine scored in ir last encounter, however, in Los Blancos’ 2-1 win at Valdebebas last campaign. 

Vinícius Jr vs Gerard Piqué

Benzema might be primary goal scorer in this Real Madrid squad, but player who seems to create out of thing is Vinícius and he’ll look to use his pace and trickery to get better of Gerard Piqué. Brazilian and Spaniard are at opposite ends of ir careers, so we’ll see youthful confidence going up against veteran experience and this could be key to game’s outcome. 

Frenkie de Jong vs Casemiro

As is so often case in football, key battles could be in midfield - and keep a particular eye on individual duel between Frenkie de Jong and Casemiro. se two players bring energy to ir respective midfields and are capable of playing ir best football on biggest occasions. Key to protecting ir defences at same time as getting forward to contribute to attack, de Jong and Casemiro are undoubtedly two of this fixture’s most important players. 

Gavi vs Eduardo Camavinga

We might witness a glimpse into future during this October’s El Clasico, with 17-year-old Gavi and 18-year-old Camavinga likely to earn some minutes at Camp u. Both se players have caught eye to start 2021/22 campaign, with Gavi making an impact after emerging through Barça’s La Masia academy and with Camavinga hitting ground running at Real Madrid following his summer transfer from Rennes. If se two players do feature in this game, perhaps off bench, n y’ll likely occupy same area of pitch and ir fresh legs in final sts could prove decisive.

Ansu Fati vs David Alaba

re is great excitement at Barcelona at Ansu Fati’s comeback after he returned from a 10-month injury layoff by scoring a goal against Levante on his first match back. 18-year-old has inherited Lionel Messi’s iconic number ten shirt at Camp u and will be looking to score against Real Madrid, just as he did in this same fixture last year before his knee injury. Out to prevent teenr from repeating last year’s trick is summer signing David Alaba, experienced centre-back who has seamlessly slotted into Real Madrid’s backline. While Los Blancos’ defence has been leakier than Carlo Ancelotti would like, that’s t Alaba’s fault and Austrian will be determined to earn a clean sheet in his first El Clasico. 

Memphis Depay vs Thibaut Courtois

While ter Stegen vs Benzema is a duel we’ve enjoyed many times before, upcoming battle between Thibaut Courtois and Memphis is a relatively vel one. y have only shared pitch for 17 minutes in ir careers, back in 2015/16 when y both played in English football, so this should be a special face-off between goalkeeper and forward at Camp u. Both players have started 2021/22 in good form and it wouldn’t be a surprise if result of this ElClasico comes down to a one-on-one chance between Dutchman and Belgian.

(Im: AP)