Three talking points ahead of Real Madrid vs Barcelona – La Liga gameweek 9

El Clasico could not come at a worse time for Barcelona. The wounds from the game against Inter Milan are still fresh and fragile, and it is clear that the team are in no mental or physical state to play a game of such paramount importance.

Yet, there is no option but to accept the cruelty of football and keep moving forward. Only one of two events will unfold on Sunday night in Madrid – either Barcelona overcome the ghosts of midweek and play with conviction or have salt rubbed into their wounds to a state beyond recovery.

It is now or never for Xavi Hernandez and his team. The pressure and the spotlight will be on the visitors come Sunday, for the Blaugranas have a point to prove.

Barça Universal brings you three talking points ahead of the anticipated Clasico.

1. Jules Kounde: Barça’s ray of hope?

Year after year, Barcelona stare the same problem in the eye. There seems to be no solution to the club’s repeated problems at the centre-back position, for even the signing of two world-class centre-backs in the summer could not pull them out of the deep end.

It is beyond one’s wildest imagination that a team can have three of its best defenders ruled out at the same time. Yet, that was precisely Xavi’s situation ahead of the crucial game against Inter Milan.

Though most of the damage has already been done over the past three games, there is good news coming in ahead of El Clasico. Jules Kounde will likely make it into the starting XI against Real Madrid and will undoubtedly be under pressure to rejuvenate the back-line.

He will likely start alongside Eric Garcia on the night, replacing Gerard Pique. The Spanish veteran had a horrendous game midweek and was completely responsible for the first goal conceded against the Nerazzurri.

With Kounde back in the lineup, Barcelona will be more reassured of a leak-proof defensive line against their arch-rivals. The Frenchman will go head-to-head against Karim Benzema, Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo in all probability and will have to be at the top of his game despite just returning from injury.

2. Time to wake up and smell the coffee

The past two weeks may appear to be a bad nightmare for the Barcelona players. The situation went awry in no time, and their fall from grace was at an exponential rate. As difficult as it may sound, the only way back from the bottom of the pit is to accept the fall.

Elimination from the UEFA Champions League may be a dealbreaker for most players, but it is far from the end of the season. The Blaugranas are well-placed in La Liga and sit pretty at the top of the table ahead of Sunday’s clash.

A win at the Bernabeu would take Barcelona three points clear of their rivals, but a complacent performance could well see them throw away their weeks of hard work. Ahead of a crucial encounter, the Catalans must wake up and smell the coffee before it is too late.

With Thibaut Courtois ruled out of El Clasico, the visitors have a good chance to steal three points from their opponents’ doorstep. If a team half as good could overpower Los Blancos by four goals last year, there is no reason why they cannot repeat the feat with a handful of new and high-quality signings.

3. Pressure mounting on Xavi

Xavi’s arrival as the manager of FC Barcelona was more than a festival for the city of Catalonia. After all, it was a story of Barcelona’s own child returning to nurture the club where he wrote records in gold.

Since his arrival, he has done a fabulous job of creating a winning mentality and producing vibrant football on the field. Yet, his side failed to show up when it was needed the most, and now, he must bear the brunt of it.

The manager’s decisions and substitutions have been uninspiring since the return of club football last month, and there is a visible fall in quality on the field. From a team that dominated games with ease, the Catalans have suddenly become the ones chasing the ball and scrambling in defence.

The Azulgranas cannot afford a second loss in a row, for the psychological impact of throwing two competitions in two games can be devastating. It is now time for Xavi to hold the reins firmly and take control of the situation. After all, not many in the world of football can boast of having the experience the World Cup winner has. The only question is – can he put it into action?