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Barcelona forward Ferran Torres believes his side are on a good level ahead of their clash against Real Madrid later this week.
The second Clasico of the ongoing La Liga season will take place on 20 March and will have massive consequences for both sides. While Los Blancos need to keep winning to continue their title charge, the Blaugrana will require a victory to consolidate their grip on a top-four finish.
Speaking after Barcelona's 4-0 thrashing of Osasuna last night (13 March), Torres said (as quoted by Barca Blaugranes):
“We know there is a Clásico, but we have to think about Thursday. We have to win there and then we’ll think about the Clásico. Madrid are at a great level, but so are we.”
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The win against Osasuna took the Catalans back to third place in La Liga. They are now level with fourth-placed Atletico Madrid on 51 points but have played a game less.
Next up, Xavi Hernandez's side will take on Galatasaray in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League Round of 16 tie on Thursday (17 March). The match in Turkey will be a difficult one, with the tie delicately balanced after a 0-0 draw at the Nou Camp last week.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, play RCD Mallorca in La Liga tonight. Victory in that match will send them 10 points clear of second-placed Sevilla after 28 matches.
Barcelona will look to break El Clasico duck against Real Madrid
Barcelona are currently on a 10-match unbeaten run across all competitions, which has helped revive their withering season. Though they have exited the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Champions League, they are among the favorites for the Europa League title. A top-four finish in La Liga is also very much on the cards.
However, the Catalans' recent record in El Clasico doesn't make for great reading. The Blaugrana have failed to win each of their last five matches against Real Madrid, having won four of their five games prior to that.
They have also lost four matches on the trot to Los Blancos. Barcelona suffered a 3-1 defeat at home and a 2-1 defeat at the Santiago Bernabeu in La Liga last season. This term, they lost the home fixture 2-1 back in October 2021, and were defeated 3-2 in the semi-finals of the Supercopa.
Real Madrid will also be high on confidence after their 3-1 comeback victory (3-2 on aggregate) against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last week. Given their performances this season and their recent record against Barcelona, they will certainly fancy their chances of another Clasico victory.
