The situation for Real Madrid is poised to worsen dramatically after a tumultuous 2025-26 season. Having already parted ways with coach Xabi Alonso, Madrid has been eliminated from the Copa del Rey, fell short in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals, and experienced a series of distressing LaLiga defeats that have left them lagging behind leaders Barcelona. This could result in a second consecutive trophyless season.
In the last week alone, Madrid has been embroiled in multiple off-field controversies: injured star Kylian Mbappé took a questionable midseason vacation, a dressing room altercation occurred involving Antonio Rüdiger and Álvaro Carreras, and vice-captain Federico Valverde was hospitalized for a concussion following an incident with Aurélien Tchouaméni.
On Sunday, Barcelona has the opportunity to deepen Madrid’s woes in the upcoming Clásico (LIVE at 3 p.m. ET across ESPN networks in the U.S.). Going into the match at Camp Nou with an 11-point lead and only four fixtures remaining, Barça needs just a draw to secure the league title against their fiercest rivals. The resulting celebrations from Barcelona could be raucous, and Madrid would have to endure this spectacle, with no escape from their misery.
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Many believe that Clásicos carry a significant weight. Each LaLiga season typically culminates with these two giants contending for the title, occasionally having Atlético Madrid join the fray. The outcomes of the Clásico encounters often play a crucial role in determining the champion.
“There’s a heightened sense of expectation heading into these matches,” stated Paul Clement, who worked with Carlo Ancelotti during his initial tenure at Madrid and is now coaching Brazil. “You know the impact you’ll have on the title race—each match is worth six points.”
For instance, last season’s title win for Barcelona, in Hansi Flick’s inaugural campaign as coach, was secured through victories in both league Clásicos—first, a decisive 4-0 triumph at the Bernabéu in October 2024, followed by a hard-fought 4-3 win at Montjuïc in May 2025. While Barça outperformed throughout the season, the Clásicos were pivotal in confirming their status as champions, finishing four points ahead of Real Madrid.
The previous season also saw Carlo Ancelotti’s Madrid capture the title, bolstered by their own Clásico double—a 2-1 win at Montjuïc in October 2023, thanks to a brace from Jude Bellingham, and a thrilling 3-2 victory in April 2024, thanks to another last-minute goal from Bellingham. Madrid concluded that campaign with a 10-point buffer over Barça, yet those Clásico results were crucial in shaping the season.
Throughout history, Clásicos have led to managerial dismissals and shifts in club strategy. For example, Barcelona’s 5-1 rout at Camp Nou in October 2018 resulted in Julen Lopetegui’s exit as Real Madrid coach after just four months. Similarly, a 4-0 defeat for Madrid against Barça in November 2015 hastened Rafa Benítez’s firing just two months later, as he lost the confidence of club president Florentino Pérez.
Reflecting on the rich history, many view the Guardiola vs. Mourinho era as a pinnacle of this rivalry, showcasing numerous season-defining Clásicos. Barcelona’s unforgettable 6-2 dismantling of Manuel Pellegrini’s Madrid in May 2009, which left them seven points clear at the summit, is widely regarded as one of the greatest Clásico performances. A mere 18 months later, Guardiola’s 5-0 obliteration of Mourinho’s Madrid at Camp Nou remains etched in memory, despite Barcelona leading by only two points at that point in the race.
In 2011, the teams faced each other four times within 18 days across three competitions; during that intense match-up, a LaLiga draw kept the title race wide open, with Madrid holding only an eight-point advantage with six matches remaining.
“Everyone remembers those encounters,” shared former Madrid defender Raúl Albiol, who ironically observed the 5-0 drubbing from the bench and received a red card in the 2011 showdown. “Those games were iconic.”
This Sunday, should Barcelona avoid a defeat, it would mark the first Clásico in nearly 100 years to decisively determine the title winner, dating back to the 1931-32 season. Back then, Madrid secured the league by tying 2-2 at Barcelona, consequently clinching their first of 36 league titles.
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Can Barcelona win back-to-back LaLiga titles in El Clásico?
Luis Garcia and Craig Burley analyze the upcoming El Clásico as Barcelona inches closer to another LaLiga title.
Thus, a non-loss for Barcelona this Sunday would represent a historic moment, simultaneously showcasing Madrid’s ongoing crisis both on and off the pitch. Two consecutive seasons without a major trophy are rare for the historically successful Madrid side, having last happened two decades ago. Their most recent back-to-back barren campaigns took place in 2004-05 and 2005-06, with further droughts preceding that in 1982-83 and 1983-84.
The fallout from the 2006 season was monumental: Pérez resigned as president, acknowledging a necessary “change of direction” following the collapse of the illustrious Galáctico project and only returned after three years. This summer, with a new coach likely to succeed Álvaro Arbeloa and calls for significant changes within the club’s executive ranks, Barcelona’s victory could trigger similarly sweeping transformations.
For Madrid, a small glimmer of hope remains—the chance to postpone Barça’s celebrations. The two teams’ earlier encounters this season—Madrid’s 2-1 win in October and Barça’s 3-2 victory in the Spanish Supercopa in January—have shown that in head-to-head contests, Madrid can match their rivals.
Nevertheless, the circumstances have shifted. Arbeloa is now at the helm instead of Alonso. The team is reeling from a week of troubling reports, capped by a physical confrontation between two key players, Tchouaméni and Valverde. Furthermore, questions linger over whether Mbappé can reach peak performance while recovering from injury.
While the odds seem challenging, Madrid must hold on to the hope of executing an upset to thwart Barcelona from penning another painful chapter in this fierce rivalry.