Real Madrid will host its arch-rivals FC Barcelona on Sunday in the "Land Clasico", which comes with different accounts for the two teams, and with different priorities between coaches Carlo Ancelotti and Xavi Hernandez.
Xavi seeks to lead Barcelona to impose his word at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the former Spain midfielder believes that the match comes at an ideal time for Barcelona, who has recovered from a difficult start to the season.
📊 El Clasico numbers #ElClásico
📍 It is the 184th Clasico in #LaLigaSantander
✅ @realmadridarab won 76 matches, drew 35, lost 72, scored 295 goals and conceded 291 goals.
✅ @fcbarcelona_ara won 72 matches, drew 35, lost 76, scored 291 goals and conceded 295 pic.twitter.com/KGfTwTac44
— LaLiga (@LaLigaArab) March 17, 2022
"It is a strong test to show how far we have evolved," Xavi said at a news conference on Saturday, noting that there was no need for additional motivation against the traditional opponent.
He added, "Our position is great to play a big match and show our amazing condition, we have developed collectively, and we must show our character and strive to impose our style."
Real and Barcelona have played a series of 4 consecutive victories, and are currently enjoying great confidence, but Real is in the lead with 66 points from 28 games, 10 points behind second-placed Seville and 15 points from third-placed Barcelona.
"Emperor" El Clasico @Benzema 😉👑#ElClásico#LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/irBvr993UZ
— LaLiga (@LaLigaArab) March 19, 2022
With 11 matches remaining, Xavi sees that entering the competition for the title late seems "far, complicated and difficult", but tomorrow's match will represent an opportunity to show the improvement of the Catalan team since Xavi's arrival in mid-November.
Xavi continued, "The candidate is Real Madrid, they are the leaders and they are going through a great period, but we are also in good shape, it is a great opportunity to change history, and the victory will support our work tremendously, and we must be brave, and we will try to impose our style with consistency."
Barcelona fell to ninth place in the league when Ronald Koeman was sacked, but Xavi rose up the team and has not lost since January 20, when it lost to Athletic Bilbao after extra time in the King's Cup, and scored 20 goals in the last 6 league matches.
One of the best El Clasico matches #ElClásico 🤩🤩🤩
Who remembers this historic match 😌⚽#LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/uKo6WXuvi4
— LaLiga (@LaLigaArab) March 17, 2022
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted that Barcelona is performing well these days, after achieving a series of successive victories and playing with great confidence.
The Italian coach said about the Barcelona coach, "I think that Xavi is doing a special job. Barcelona's performance has improved a lot, and he is in a good position. The club's character is present and has not changed. He is an outstanding team, and Xavi is the best embodiment of that."
Real Madrid will miss its brilliant striker Karim Benzema for tomorrow's Clasico due to a calf injury.
"Benzema is still suffering from injury, he cannot play on Sunday, he will not travel to the France national team next week, and he will remain in Madrid to recover," Ancelotti said, referring to the international holiday during which Benzema was scheduled to join the French national team in preparation for two friendlies. In front of the Ivory Coast and South Africa.
It's Caesar 👑 @lukamodric10 👑#ElClasico #LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/UEmDbV3WNc
— LaLiga (@LaLigaArab) March 19, 2022
Benzema is the top scorer in the league with 22 goals, and the Italian coach added, “Benzema is an important part of our team, because he represents the last link in the offensive line, and he finishes the effort of the whole team very well. Time to get it ready for the rest of the season."
The French striker's focus will be on recovering during the next two weeks and preparing to participate in the two matches of the Royal Club in the Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea (the title holder) next April.
Ancelotti said, “I think that Benzema’s injury came at the right time, he is 34 years old, and such things can happen. What it was, and I count on it to make the difference.”