Anxiety as Real Madrid, Barca clash in Clasico

Photo by Josep LAGO / AFP

Barcelona are going into Sunday’s Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu level on points with Real Madrid at the top of La Liga and having conceded just one league goal all season.

Eyebrows were raised when the club splashed 145m euros in the summer on players, despite well-documented financial difficulties, but at first glance the numbers would suggest the gamble was paying off on the pitch.

Statistics in football should sometimes be taken with a pinch of salt.

Their past six La Liga games, in which they have not conceded at all, have been against the likes of Real Valladolid, Cadiz, Elche and Real Mallorca – sides not known for their goalscoring prowess.

The stats will also not tell you that on numerous occasions only the stunning form of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has kept the opposition at bay.

It’s a different story when the bigger boys come to the party, though, and especially when you are left without your first-choice defenders to take them on.

This season, Barcelona have already conceded seven goals in four Champions League matches, losing two, drawing one and winning one.

Wednesday’s pulsating 3-3 draw against Inter Milan, loved by the neutral but loathed by Barcelona coach Xavi, probably means they will very soon have to start planning their Europa League campaign.

Inter only need to beat a Viktoria Plzen who have so far conceded 16 goals in four matches to ensure Barcelona do not qualify for the knockout stages of the Champions League for the second year in a row.

Next up is the Clasico, and Real Madrid, who in the ‘big boy’ contests are right up there with the biggest of them all.

If Barcelona lose against Real, it is going to be mayhem.

The two sides are neck and neck at the top of the table