With a respective seven and four-point gap having already developed between first and second and their nearest challengers, Barcelona and Real Madrid look likely to go head-to-head to rule LaLiga once again this season.
After the two sides lit up the Champions League in midweek – Madrid recovering to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2, while Barcelona trounced Bayern Munich 4-1 – Saturday's Clasico is the must-watch fixture in the European calendar this week.
Hansi Flick's side lead the way with nine wins from his first 10 league games in charge, while Madrid have one of two unbeaten records remaining in the division, alongside neighbours Atletico Madrid.
Carlo Ancelotti's reigning Spanish and European champions have an opportunity not only to knock Barca off the top this weekend, but to earn a slice of history.
They are one game away from matching the longest unbeaten run in the history of LaLiga, recorded by Ernesto Valverde's Barcelona (43) between 2017 and 2018.
Can Los Blancos match their great rivals' feat at the Santiago Bernabeu? Here, we dive into the Opta data to preview the first Clasico of the campaign.
What's expected?
Despite Barcelona making a flying start to Flick's reign, it is Madrid who are made favourites by the Opta supercomputer at home.
Ancelotti's team were victorious in 56% of the 10,000 match simulations conducted by the supercomputer, with Barca winning 21.3% and 22.7% finishing all square.
Madrid have an excellent record versus Barca lately, winning each of their last four matches against them in all competitions. They could now record five straight victories in El Clasico for just the second time in the last 59 years, having done so between 2020 and 2022.
Ancelotti, meanwhile, could become just the third coach to win five or more successive Clasicos in the history of the fixture, after Miguel Munoz between 1962 and 1965 (seven) and Pep Guardiola between 2008 and 2010 (five).
Jude Bellingham struck dramatic winners in both league fixtures between these great rivals last season – a 2-1 triumph in Catalonia last October and a 3-2 victory in Madrid in April.
On their own turf, Madrid have won four of their last five meetings with Barca (one defeat), winning each of their last two.
They have not won three straight home Clasicos in the competition since they enjoyed a run of four consecutive wins between 1988 and 1991, a period in which they won LaLiga three times in four campaigns.
History beckons for Los Blancos
Incredibly, Madrid have not been beaten in league action since September 25 last year, when they went down 3-1 to rivals Atletico.
Their unbeaten run in LaLiga now stands at 42 matches, with 31 wins and 11 draws in that timeframe.
Saturday's game offers them the chance to draw level with the mark brought up by Valverde's Barca between April 2017 and May 2018 (34 wins, nine draws). With bottom club Valencia their next opponents after this match, they have a great opportunity to snatch that record outright.
While last season's Clasico hero Bellingham is yet to score in LaLiga this term and has only provided one assist in his six appearances, Madrid have another player with a knack of breaking Barca hearts.
Vinicius Junior has been involved in seven goals in his last four games in El Clasico in all competitions, scoring five goals and laying on two assists.
In total, the Real Madrid forward has scored seven goals in 17 games against Barcelona. They are his second-best goalscoring opponent after Valencia (eight goals).
Vinicius also got Los Blancos' winner as they overcame Celta Vigo 2-1 in their last league game on Saturday, then scored a wonderful hat-trick in Tuesday's comeback victory over Dortmund, taking him to 35 goal involvements (20 goals, 15 assists) in his last 35 Champions League starts.
With the Brazilian dovetailing with Bellingham, Rodrygo and Kylian Mbappe, Madrid have the firepower to halt Barca's brilliant start to life under Flick, and seal their own place in the record books in the process.
Major test for Flick
Flick could hardly have wished for a better start to his tenure at Barca, with a 4-2 defeat at Osasuna last month the only blot on his record in LaLiga.
Last week's 5-0 rout of Sevilla also took the Blaugrana to 33 goals in 10 league games under Flick. Only Zinedine Zidane has enjoyed a more prolific start through 10 games as a manager in LaLiga this century (34).
Three of the nine players in the big five European Leagues to be involved in 10 or more goals this season, meanwhile, represent Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski (12 goals, two assists), Lamine Yamal (four goals, six assists) and Raphinha (five goals, five assists).
Only three players from those five leagues have at least five goals and five assists this term: Mohamed Salah (five goals, five assists with Liverpool), Cole Palmer (six goals, five assists with Chelsea) and Raphinha.
Flick got one over on his former club in style on Wednesday, with Raphinha's hat-trick helping them end a run of six straight Champions League meetings with Bayern.
If that result was not enough of a statement, Barcelona achieved it with a youthful starting XI with an average age of 24 years and 185 days, their youngest lineup for a Champions League match since December 2011 versus BATE Borisov (23 years, 93 days).
A trip to the Bernabeu, however, will surely represent Flick's toughest test to date.
Each of the last five Barcelona coaches – Xavi, Ronald Koeman, Quique Setien, Valverde and Luis Enrique – have lost their first competitive Clasico, with Gerardo Martino the last to oversee a victory in his first one (2-1 in 2013). If Flick can buck that trend, it will be advantage Barca in the title race.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Real Madrid – Vinicius Junior
As well as having a fine record in Clasico matches, Vinicius has also been involved in at least one goal in each of his last six matches in LaLiga (four goals, three assists), netting the winner at Celta Vigo last weekend.
The Brazilian is widely considered the favourite to win the Ballon d'Or and last time out against Dortmund, led all players on the pitch for xG (1.26), shots (seven), shots on target (four) and dribbles completed (six), also creating two chances and contesting a joint-high 16 duels.
Barcelona – Lamine Yamal
While Raphinha stole the headlines against Bayern in midweek, his fellow winger Yamal also shone, recording an assist as he became the youngest player to make 10 Champions League starts, aged 17 years and 102 days.
He already has six assists in LaLiga this season, becoming the first Barca player to reach that figure within the opening 10 matchdays since Lionel Messi in 2014-15 (seven).
'Top-class' Middlesbrough pass Norwich test, says Carrick
Michael Carrick was impressed with Middlesbrough's showing against another top opponent in the Championship after they played out an enthralling 3-3 draw with Norwich City.
Borja Sainz had given the Canaries a ninth minute lead before Tommy Conway's brace and Finn Azaz's close range effort had Boro in the ascendency at the interval.
Conway then saw his penalty saved by George Long after Jose Cordoba fouled Riley McGree, with that moment proving pivotal in the outcome of the contest.
Sainz doubled his tally two minutes after Boro's spot-kick with a stunning effort that kissed the underside of the crossbar, before an own-goal by Seny Dieng drew Norwich level.
The Canaries finished the game with a man less after captain Kenny McLean was shown a straight red card late on, but Middlesbrough were unable to find a winner.
Despite letting a two-goal lead slip at Carrow Road, Carrick was pleased with his players' efforts in a game he felt his side edged.
"I thought we were fantastic for the most part, we showed what a good team we are and played some really good football," Carrick told BBC Radio Teesside.
"We conceded three goals, the third wasn't nice at all but the other two, he put them in the top corner from distance and if they’re going to score like that from there, there's only so much you can do [to stop it].
"I thought we were pretty much the better team throughout, [although] the momentum swung a little bit towards the end.
"That’s two games against really good, top opposition in this league and we’ve been the better team in both games.
"Today was a test in terms of going a goal down but the confidence we showed and togetherness to get through that was top-class."
For Norwich, meanwhile, the draw ensured they maintained their 11-month unbeaten home record.
A win would have put them fifth in the table, but they remain eighth on the same number of points as ninth-placed Boro, both of them still one point adrift of the top six.
But it was a contest they were perhaps fortunate to claim a point from. The Canaries ended the contest with an expected goals (xG) total of just 1.1 compared to the visitors' 3.86.
"When a game is that hectic, with so many situations in it, then it's hard work for me from minute one to minute 90," Johannes Hoff Thorup told BBC Radio Norfolk
"We had to be very specific at half-time about what was important for us [to do], very specific with in-game communication to the players because there were so many details to put focus on.
"The moments we have when we are calm on the ball, especially in their half, the spaces we highlighted before the game opened up and we created chances, or at least got into some dangerous positions."
Slot pleased with Liverpool comeback, but Arsenal 'the better team'
Arne Slot was pleased by Liverpool's resilience in coming from behind twice to earn a draw against Arsenal, but acknowledged the Gunners were the better team on the day.
Virgil van Dijk's header cancelled out Bukayo Saka's opener, before Mohamed Salah sealed a share of the spoils after Mikel Merino had restored Arsenal's advantage.
The Reds had their chances to return to the Premier League summit after Arsenal lost Gabriel Magalhaes and Jurrien Timber to injury, but they were unable to find a winner.
Slot preserved his unbeaten away record during a pulsating encounter at the Emirates, but said the Gunners deserved their half-time advantage.
"Eventful, exciting. Both teams scored from a set piece. In my opinion, Arsenal were the better team than us," Slot said. "They deserved to be one up at half-time.
"We had less to recover and prepare for this game and if I look at how strong we were in the second half, that pleased me and most being two times down."
Slot is now the first Liverpool manager to not lose any of his first seven away matches in charge since William Connell in February 1923.
But Liverpool conceded twice in the first half of a Premier League game for the first time since December 2023 (two versus Fulham).
Indeed, 40% of the Reds’ goals conceded in the competition under Slot were scored by the Gunners today, but the Dutchman was keen to focus on the positives.
"Two times behind then it's pleasing to see we can come back into the game especially with one day less to recover," he continued.
"To be stronger in second half than first pleases me. You come here to win but maybe a draw was a result we can take with us, especially after the first half.
"You know coming here that they have many quality players, you can have difficult moments in the game. Pleased me to score from a set piece.
"We needed that because from open play we weren't dominant at all. They deserved to be up 2-1 at half-time. But the way we showed up second half was impressive."
It was also a memorable game for Van Dijk, who scored on his 100th appearance as the captain of Liverpool.
His goal was his 17th with his head, with only John Terry (27) now the only defender to have netted more headed goals in the Premier League than Van Dijk.
But away from his personal milestones, the Reds captain echoed the thoughts of his manager and was happy to leave the Emirates with a point.
"Listen, it's a very tough place to come. They created a solid team and make it difficult for everyone. To come back twice is a good thing, we take the point and we move," he said.
"You play here in London, they have the fans behind them and they created some momentum.
"You have to be ready to fight because you will have some tough moments. One point and we take it."
The Dutch defender was also asked about his ongoing contract situation at the club, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.
"I'm very calm. Let's see what happens towards the end of the season," Van Dijk said.
"I'm enjoying my football, physically and mentally. Keep enjoying the game because it's a beautiful game that we play and I play."
Inter 4-4 Juventus: Scudetto contenders share eight goals in thrilling draw
Piotr Zielinski and Kenan Yildiz both scored twice as Derby d'Italia rivals Inter and Juventus played out a thrilling 4-4 draw in Serie A on Sunday.
An absorbing opening half featuring five goals began with Marcus Thuram winning a penalty for the Nerazzurri, which Zielinski converted coolly after 15 minutes.
Juve equalised five minutes later through Dusan Vlahovic, however, then took the lead through a strike from Timothy Weah within six further minutes.
After Henrikh Mkhitaryan equalised following a neat piece of interplay with Thuram in the 35th minute, Zielinski scored his second penalty of the game to put Inter back on top, Pierre Kalulu mistiming his clearance and fouling Denzel Dumfries.
Dumfries extended Inter's advantage early in the second half, converting at the back post after a corner was flicked into his path, but Juventus were not to be denied a share of the spoils.
Substitute Yildiz reduced the deficit for Juve in the 71st minute, placing an angled drive into the far corner, then stunned San Siro by firing home at the back post eight minutes from time.
The result leaves Inter second, four points adrift of early-season pacesetters Napoli, while Juve are one point back in third.
Data Debrief: Goals galore in Derby d'Italia
One could certainly make the case for Sunday's Derby d'Italia being the most entertaining in the fixture's storied history.
It was just the third game between Inter and Juventus to feature at least eight goals in Serie A history, after a 9-1 Juve win in June 1961 and a 6-2 Inter triumph in 1932.
It was the first Serie A fixture between the teams to ever see five goals scored in the first half, meanwhile.
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