Barcelona host Real Madrid in La Liga’s first El Clásico of the season

The match pits league leaders Barcelona against a Real Madrid side missing Courtois and Vinicius Jr, as reported by Independent and Standard.

By Felo News Desk · Published Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:12:42 GMT

Barcelona and Real Madrid will clash at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, 2026, in the first El Clásico of the 2026‑27 La Liga season, according to Independent and Standard.

What happened

Both outlets note that Barcelona sit top of the table with nine wins from nine matches, while Real Madrid are third, six points behind. Barcelona’s only defeat this season came in a Champions League group‑stage loss to Paris Saint‑Germain. Real Madrid entered the match after a 4‑1 league win over RB Leipzig and a recent 4‑1 victory over Sevilla.

What the reports add

Independent listed Barcelona’s starting XI, including Joan García, João Cancelo and Lamine Yamal, and named substitutes such as Gavi and De Jong. Standard highlighted Real’s lineup changes, noting that Vinicius Jr remains suspended after a red card two weeks earlier. Both sources reported that Real’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois is unavailable: Independent said the club withdrew him due to a bout of flu, while Standard said he was omitted from the squad despite earlier reports of recovery.

What was said

Independent quoted Real Madrid’s statement that Courtois “is a last‑minute withdrawal due to a bout of the flu.” Standard reported the club’s denial that Courtois had made himself available after recovering from the flu.

How it came about

Barcelona’s strong start follows a defeat to PSG in the Champions League, while Real Madrid’s recent form includes a 4‑1 win over Sevilla (see Felo’s coverage on Oct 18) and a 2‑1 loss to Atletico Madrid on Sep 20 (Felo’s Sep 20 report). The suspension of Vinicius Jr stems from a red‑card incident on Oct 11 (Felo’s Oct 11 article), and Real’s demand for LaLiga chief Javier Tebas to resign on Oct 16 adds further off‑field tension (Felo’s Oct 16 report).

Key facts

Barcelona lead La Liga with nine wins from nine matches. (independent.co.uk)
Real Madrid sit third, six points behind Barcelona. (standard.co.uk)
Thibaut Courtois is unavailable for Real Madrid; club cites flu. (independent.co.uk)
Vinicius Jr is suspended for the match after a red card. (standard.co.uk)
Barcelona’s starting XI includes Joan García, João Cancelo and Lamine Yamal. (independent.co.uk)

Where accounts differ

Status of Thibaut Courtois for the match: Courtois is a last‑minute withdrawal due to a bout of the flu. (independent.co.uk); Courtois is left out of the matchday squad altogether, despite reports he had recovered. (standard.co.uk)