Barcelona vs Real Madrid

Barca are on a three-game winning streak while Real have won their last two outings and reached the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals at Liverpool's expense ...

They should be able to take a point here which would please Barca as it would keep their lead intact. Barca: Ousmane Dembele will remain out for the hosts with a hamstring problem while Pedri is expected to return from the same issue after six games out. Although Real have not been at their best lately, they are mostly doing enough to avoid defeat in big games. Toni Kroos could be replaced by Aurelien Tchouameni while Nacho should keep hold his starting role and Federico Valverde should join Benzema and Vinicius Junior in attack. The latest instalment of Spanish soccer's fiercest rivalry, El Clasico, will play out on Sunday at Camp Nou as Barcelona host Real Madrid with nine points separating the pair at La Liga's summit. Barca are on a three-game winning streak while Real have won their last two outings and reached the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals at Liverpool's expense in midweek.

Instead, as Madrid surged forward in search of a winning goal they surely needed to maintain realistic hopes of overhauling their opponents' LaLiga lead, Kessie ...

But, with the help of VAR, Barcelona survived before Kessie stuck a late dagger into Madrid's hopes of retaining their title. [Rodrygo](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/267804/Rodrygo) and [Ferland Mendy](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/217475/Ferland-Mendy) for [Toni Kroos](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/103173/Toni-Kroos) and [Nacho](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/157710/Nacho). However, after a long VAR review, it was ruled that Asensio had initially been in an offside position. [Thibaut Courtois](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/134283/Thibaut-Courtois) had to be at this best to keep out efforts from [Robert Lewandowski](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/125824/Robert-Lewandowski) and [Raphinha](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/231050/Raphinha) while [Sergi Roberto](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/150225/Sergi-Roberto) shot just over the bar. [Sergio Busquets](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/121893/Sergio-Busquets) gave the ball away to allow a clear shot at goal from the edge of the box, the young Brazilian lashed his effort high over the crossbar. [Vinicius Junior](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/252107/Vinícius-Júnior) chipped a cross back from near the byline down the left, and Araujo found his head in the wrong place at the wrong time to divert the ball past [Marc-Andre ter Stegen](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/140740/Marc-André-ter-Stegen) at his near post. [Federico Valverde](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/235818/Federico-Valverde) slashed an effort wide for Madrid and Lewandowski had a shot deflected just wide. [Marco Asensio](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/195821/Marco-Asensio) turned in [Dani Carvajal](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/168531/Dani-Carvajal)'s cross. [Ronald Araujo](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/270821/Ronald-Araújo) put Real Madrid ahead in just the ninth minute, but Barcelona responded to claim a deserved equalizer through [Sergi Roberto](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/150225/Sergi-Roberto)'s composed finish right on the stroke of half-time. [Franck Kessie](http://www.espn.com/soccer/player/_/id/194711/Franck-Kessié) scored a stoppage-time winner to give [Barcelona](/football/team?id=83) a 2-1 victory over [Real Madrid](/football/team?id=86) in Sunday's Clasico at Camp Nou and a massive 12-point lead over second-place Real Madrid with 12 games of the [LaLiga](/football/league/_/name/ESP.1) season remaining. [LaLiga](/football/league/_/name/ESP.1) lead, Kessie turned in a cut-back from Alex Balde in the second minute of stoppage time to send the Camp Nou crowd wild with delight. The goal was the first Barcelona had conceded from open play at home in LaLiga this season and dented their early momentum as Madrid gained confidence and composure.