Barcelona’s firepower meets a depleted Real Madrid defence in El Clasico

Real Madrid will face Barcelona in Sunday evening’s La Liga meeting without first-choice goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, increasing pressure on Jose Mourinho’s side as it attempts to contain the division’s most prolific attack.

The club confirmed on Sunday afternoon that Courtois had been ruled out after developing flu symptoms. Young goalkeeper Ilya Voloshin was called into the squad as his replacement for the 10th-round fixture, which Barcelona will host.

Real Madrid have kept only two clean sheets in their first 12 matches of the season. Both came in La Liga victories over Malaga and Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabeu, according to figures published by AS.

That record underlines the scale of the challenge facing Mourinho. His team’s defensive difficulties have continued from last season, with criticism directed at the forwards for failing to provide sufficient support and the side struggling to maintain a cohesive defensive structure.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have won their opening nine league matches and scored 39 goals, an average of more than four per game. They have conceded nine times and have matched the record for the best start in the competition’s history, set by Real Madrid in the 1968-1969 season.

Across all competitions, Barcelona have scored 50 goals and conceded 15 in 12 matches.

Yamal and Raphinha lead Barcelona’s threat

Lamine Yamal has been one of Barcelona’s outstanding attacking players, contributing eight goals and six assists in his first nine league appearances. His 14 goal contributions are the highest recorded by Opta among the figures highlighted before the match.

Barcelona’s threat has also been evident in a series of emphatic wins. They have beaten Elche 5-0, Valencia 5-0, Racing Santander 7-2 and Real Betis 5-2.

Although Barcelona lost 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, their domestic form shows how quickly they can punish defensive lapses. Real Madrid will need to restrict the space available to Barcelona’s attacking players and prevent them from receiving the ball easily in dangerous areas.

Courtois’ absence is particularly significant given his recent importance to Real Madrid. Before the Clasico, the Belgium international had played 12 matches in La Liga and the Champions League, completing 1080 minutes. He had conceded 14 goals, made 45 saves and kept two clean sheets, according to statistics on Real Madrid’s official website.

In La Liga alone, Courtois had appeared nine times, conceding nine goals and making 29 saves, giving him a save percentage of 76.3%.

Mourinho must therefore find a solution both for the goalkeeper’s absence and for the wider defensive problems that have allowed opponents regular access to his side’s goal. Real Madrid’s ability to press from the front and reduce the gaps between the lines could prove decisive if they are to limit Barcelona’s attacking strength and take a positive result from the Clasico.