Gordon sets sights on higher standards before Barcelona’s Clasico with Real Madrid

Anthony Gordon says Barcelona cannot be regarded as favourites for Sunday’s Clasico against Real Madrid, with the two sides set to meet at Spotify Camp Nou in the 10th round of La Liga.

The England international told ESPN that the scale and intensity of the fixture made it impossible to predict which team held the advantage.

“I think talking about favourites becomes completely irrelevant in matches like this,” Gordon said. “The game can go in any direction because there is so much tension and competition, and the technical level is extremely high.”

He added: “In a match of this size, any player can decide the result in one moment. So I do not think we are favourites to win. I see the game as extremely balanced and, as I said, I am very excited about it.”

Gordon expects Real Madrid to provide a demanding test, pointing to their summer recruitment and strong start to the campaign.

“I think it will be a very competitive match,” he said. “Real Madrid are always a great team. They spent a lot of money during the summer, made good signings and added new players to their squad.”

“They have a very strong squad and they have also started the season well. So I expect a difficult and fiercely competitive game. Matches between Real Madrid and Barcelona are always intense and full of competition, so I am very excited to play in it.”

Sunday’s fixture will be Gordon’s latest opportunity to assess his progress since joining Barcelona. The former Newcastle United forward gave himself a rating of 7.5 out of 10 for his adaptation to the club so far, but believes there is considerable room for improvement.

“If I had to choose a number, I would give myself 7.5 out of 10,” Gordon said. “My start has been good, but I am still capable of offering much more than I have shown so far.”

He identified Barcelona’s match against Paris Saint-Germain as an occasion when he could have made a greater contribution.

“For example, against Paris Saint-Germain, I think I could have done more,” he said. “These are the matches in which I need to show my level consistently, because if I want to become the player I aspire to be, I have to maintain the highest level in these big games.”

“So there is still a lot of work ahead of me. Yes, it has been a good start, but there is still a long way to go before I reach the level I want to achieve.”