Both Madrid and Barça will be near full strength at the Bernabéu, with Thibaut Courtois and Gavi the highest-profile absentees.
Real Madrid and Barcelona meet in the 257th competitive edition of El Clásico at the Santiago Bernabéu on Sunday (21 April), a fixture in which Carlo Ancelotti’s team will have the chance to all but secure the LaLiga title. And both clubs will be almost at full strength, with only four players expected to be unavailable for selection.
Los Blancos go into the game with an eight-point lead over second-placed Barça with seven matches to play; a home victory would extend their advantage to 11 points with only 18 left on the board, which would surely end the Catalans’ slim hopes of a second successive championship.
The midweek Champions League action would also appear to have tipped the balance in Madrid’s favour. While they progressed to the semi-finals thanks to a penalty shootout victory over Premier League leaders Manchester City, Barcelona surrendered a first-leg lead against Paris Saint-Germain, losing 4-1 at home to Kylian Mbappé and Co following Ronald Araújo’s red card in the first half.
Real Madrid injury and suspension update: Courtois, Alaba, Carvajal…
Both teams have been plagued by injuries for most of the season, although that has subsided significantly in recent weeks. That said, Madrid will still be without two of their main defensive figures, although that has already been the case for several months.
Goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois ruptured his meniscus having almost completed his recovery from an ACL tear. The Belgian goalkeeper has ruled himself out of playing at Euro 2024 but hasn’t given up all hope of featuring for his club before the end of the season. Would they risk him in the Champions League final - if they get there - on 1 June?
David Alaba won’t play again until next season because of his own anterior cruciate ligament issue, but Eder Militão looks to have made a successful comeback from the same injury, appearing off the bench in the last three games. Being thrown into El Clásico from the start, however, seems unlikely.
Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni, who has been playing in central defence of late alongside Antonio Rüdiger, is available again after a Champions League suspension, while Dani Carvajal was forced off against City because of cramp but is expected to be fit to play.
Barcelona injury and suspension update: Gavi, Balde, Pedri, Araújo…
Like their opponents, there are only two Barcelona players who have been ruled out of the trip to the Spanish capital.
Midfield star Gavi also suffered an ACL tear in Spain’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Georgia in November, which will keep him on the sidelines until next season. His recovery is going according to plan, though.
Teammate Alejandro Balde will likely be out until 2024/25 too, with the left-back undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury in January.
Pedri, however, looks to be approaching full fitness after a series of muscle problems, while Araújo is available to play despite being sent off against PSG in midweek; he will serve a one-match suspension in Europe but can play domestically.
No players will miss Sunday’s match due to suspension, while Madrid boss Ancelotti had to be on his best behaviour last weekend against Mallorca to be able to take up his usual place in the dugout. The Italian has been shown four yellow cards this season and would have been forced to watch from the stands had he received a fifth in Palma.