Preview
28 November 2009
Laura Navas / Translation by realmadrid.com
There is more than just three points at stake on Sunday when Barcelona host Real Madrid in the first Clasico of the season. Also in play is the top spot on La Liga, which the Whites currently hold but by the narrowest of margins. A victory will by no means determine the outcome of the competition, but it would serve as a big morale boost as the season rolls on.
It's the start of an intense week for both teams, who in nine days will have three matches to play. Real Madrid took control of the league table last Saturday by defeating Racing Santander 1-0 at the Bernabeu. Four days later, the Whites found themselves in the driver's seat of Group C in the Champions League after beating Zurich. The stretch of matches now passes through the Camp Nou, where Real Madrid hope to earn three points, maintain the top spot in the table and distance themselves even further from their closest pursuer with another three league matches to play before the Christmas stoppage.
| CURRENT STANDING | POSITION | POINTS | P | W | D | L | GF | GA |
| REAL MADRID | 1st | 28 | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 8 |
| BARCELONA | 2nd | 27 | 11 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 29 | 8 |
| HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORD | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | ||
| REAL MADRID | 158 | 68 | 30 | 60 | 262 | 243 | ||
| BARCELONA | 158 | 60 | 30 | 68 | 243 | 262 | ||
| Match | Score / Day & Time |
| Sporting - Villarreal | 1-0 |
| Valencia - Mallorca | 1-1 |
| Sevilla - Malaga | 2-2 |
| Valladolid - Tenerife | Sun. 29, 17:00 |
| Getafe - Xerez | Sun. 29, 17:00 |
| Racing - Deportivo | Sun. 29, 17:00 |
| Almeria - Athletic | Sun. 29, 17:00 |
| Zaragoza - Osasuna | Sun. 29, 17:00 |
| Barcelona - R. Madrid | Sun. 29, 19:00 |
| Atletico Madrid - Espanyol | Sun. 29, 21:00 |