FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid: Probable Lineups and Surprises for the Liga Clásico

Published:10/05/2025 - 19:04h

Updated:11/05/2025 - 15:02h

Will Flick repeat his Champions League lineup? Possible gala lineup for Barça against Real Madrid for the Clásico of matchday 35 of LaLiga 24/25

FC Barcelona and Real Madrid face each other this Sunday, May 11th in a true final for the title of LaLiga EA Sports 2024/25 at Montjuïc. Both teams arrive at matchday 35 separated by 4 points, with an advantage for the Azulgrana team with only four matches left in the season.

Barça arrives physically and mentally diminished after the elimination in the Champions League against Inter, but with the excellent news of the returns of Alejandro Balde and Marc Casadó, in addition to a Robert Lewandowski who already had minutes on Tuesday in Milan.

We review the possible starting lineup, the substitutes' bench, and the injured and suspended players of Barcelona. Hansi Flick's possible lineup for Barcelona vs Real Madrid ¡Complete analysis!

Probable starting XI for Barça:

(#25, GK) Szczesny
(#24) Eric García
(#02) Pau Cubarsí
(#05) Iñigo Martínez
(#35) Gerard Martín
(#21) Frenkie de Jong
(#08) Pedri
(#20) Dani Olmo
(#19) Lamine Yamal
(#11) Raphinha
(#07) Ferran Torres

Barça's bench (substitute players):

(#01, GK) Ter Stegen
(#13, GK) Iñaki Peña
(#03) Alejandro Balde
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(#04) Ronald Araujo
(#06) Gavi
(#09) Robert Lewandowski
(#10) Ansu Fati
(#15) Andreas Christensen
(#16) Fermín López
(#17) Marc Casadó
(#18) Pau Víctor
(#32) Héctor Fort

Injured players for Barça:

(#14) Pablo Torre
(#23) Jules Koundé
(#28) Marc Bernal

Suspended players for Barça:

None (no suspended players)

🥅 What will be the surprises and tactical variations of Flick's Barça against Real Madrid?

In principle, Flick plans to keep his lineup from the second leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan, again with Eric García in place of the injured Jules Koundé and Ferran Torres as the team's '9'.

Goalkeeper and defense:

Szczesny will be in goal, while Eric García and Gerard Martín will be the full-backs instead of Koundé and Balde, the latter returning to the squad and available on the bench. In the center of defense, Iñigo Martínez will once again partner Pau Cubarsí, with Ronald Araujo waiting for his opportunity on the bench.

Midfield:

As a pivot, Frenkie de Jong will be there again. The Dutchman will once again be Pedri's partner in midfield, while Dani Olmo will be the team's attacking midfielder. Fermín López, who scored a goal against Valladolid on Saturday, could also return to the XI in the Clásico, while Marc Casadó will be back as a substitute.

Attack:

In attack, Raphinha and Ferran Torres complete the Azulgrana attack alongside Lamine Yamal. The 'Shark' remains as the team's '9', although Robert Lewandowski will be available on the bench.

🚑 KEY ABSENCES! How do they affect Barça in the Clásico?

The injuries of Jules Koundé, Pablo Torre, and Marc Bernal represent a significant setback for FC Barcelona in the final stretch of the season.

Below, we detail the individual impact of each absence due to injury on the team.

Jules Koundé (starting right-back)

Jules Koundé scored the winning goal for Barça in the Copa del Rey final

Impact: after playing 86 consecutive matches with the club over the last 12 months, Koundé finally rested on matchday 33 against Mallorca. The Frenchman was the MVP of the Copa final, scoring the winning goal, but was injured in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Inter Milan last Wednesday. The '23' has 4 goals and 8 assists in 53 matches with Flick's team.
Consequences: in principle, Barça has not determined the time of absence for Jules, who suffers a distal injury to the biceps femoris of his left thigh. Flick only has Héctor Fort as a substitute right-back and, in the Champions League, opted for Eric García as an emergency solution. Ronald Araujo could also be a 'patch' to deal with his absence.

Pablo Torre (Offensive midfielder)

Impact: The player from Cantabria was called to be a starter against Valladolid, but suffered discomfort in his left knee and, finally, was dropped from the squad. Pablo can be an option as an attacking midfielder, alternating position with Fermín López to give more depth to the Azulgrana attack.
Consequences: His absence represents a tough emotional blow for a footballer who barely accumulates 421 minutes of action spread over 14 matches. The '14' has not started in La Liga since matchday 15 and, in the second half of the season, only played 45' against Osasuna and 3' against Girona.

Marc Bernal (Midfielder, central midfielder)

Impact: Bernal, one of the revelations from the youth academy, suffered a serious knee injury (rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament) and is out for the season.
Consequences: His absence deprives the team of a physical and tactical profile that had provided balance and energy in the center of the field. Bernal was a valuable alternative for matches of high physical demand and his absence forces Flick to rely more on experienced players or to advance the progression of other young players.

In summary, the absences of Koundé, Torre, and Bernal force Flick to rethink his strategy in terms of variants on the bench for the match against Real Madrid. Defensive solidity, creativity in midfield, and depth to make rotations in the second half are affected, but the team trusts in the quality of its squad to overcome this challenge, with the majority of starters available.

🚩 The SECRET LINEUP of Real Madrid! Will Ancelotti surprise?

Arda Güler, celebrating a goal against Celta (3-2)

Starting XI: Courtois; Lucas Vázquez, Asencio, Tchouaméni, Fran García; Dani Ceballos, Fede Valverde, Arda Güler, Jude Bellingham; Vinicius Jr. and Mbappé.
Bench: Lunin (GK), Mestre (GK), Jacobo Ramón, Vallejo, Youssef, Luka Modric, Brahim Díaz, Rodrygo, Endrick, Víctor Muñoz
Injured: Dani Carvajal, Éder Militao, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, and David Alaba. Suspended: Antonio Rüdiger.

Real Madrid, for their part, arrive at the match against Barcelona with multiple absences due to injury. In addition to the absences of Dani Carvajal and Éder Militao, out for the entire season due to serious injuries, Los Blancos will also not be able to count on Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, and David Alaba, all three injured for the final stretch of the season along with Antonio Rüdiger.

The German is also suspended after his regrettable behavior in the Copa del Rey final, which means Carlo Ancelotti will have to bet again on Aurélien Tchouaméni as Raúl Asencio's partner in the center of defense. The full-backs will be Lucas Vázquez and Fran García, while Fede Valverde and Dani Ceballos will be in charge of containment in midfield.

Further forward will be Jude Bellingham and Arda Güler, the latter in great form in the last three weeks, with a couple of goals and assists. In attack, there will be Vinicius and Kylian Mbappé, with Rodrygo, Brahim Díaz, and Luka Modric waiting for their opportunity on the bench.