Real Madrid’s High-Stakes Clash with Barcelona Looms Large

Real Madrid is gearing up for one of the most pivotal matches of the season, with the first El Clasico encounter against Barcelona just around the corner. Following a recent 1-1 draw against Sevilla, Los Blancos find themselves with a mere one-point advantage over their fierce rivals.

The importance of not losing to Barcelona cannot be overstated for Real Madrid. A defeat in this fixture could potentially derail the positive momentum they’ve been building at the start of the campaign.

All eyes are now on Carlo Ancelotti’s lineup for the El Clasico, especially after his eyebrow-raising selection in the recent game against Atletico Madrid, which ended in a 3-1 loss. Key among the controversial decisions was the pairing of Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, and it appears that there may be no room for the Croatian maestro against Barcelona.

According to AS (via Madrid Xtra), Modric is set to be benched for the El Clasico after playing a full 94 minutes in the match against SC Braga, which Real Madrid won 2-1. While this decision may not come as a surprise given Modric’s age of 38, it is undoubtedly a challenging moment for the midfielder, who has been a cornerstone of Real Madrid for over a decade. Speculation about his future at the club has been swirling, and if his situation doesn’t improve soon, a departure could become an inevitable reality.