Barca desperate to break Madrid’s unbeaten streak

TIL Desk Sports/ Barcelona are the more desperate side as Real Madrid visit Catalonia today for the first El Clasico of the season boasting a six-point lead at the top of La Liga. Madrid have won 15 more points in all in La Liga under the guidance of Zinedine Zidane since the sides last met in April and are riding a 31-game unbeaten run in all competitions.

“On Saturday we have more to play for than Madrid, they can lose, we can’t,” said Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.  Barca are off to their worst league start in nine seasons.  However, coach Luis Enrique believes much of the media criticism of his side has been overblown, citing the institutional crisis that Barca overcame in the January his debut season in 2015 to win the treble.

“We remain favourites for all the titles, but it is evident we have to improve,” said Enrique.  “We lack consistency, but don’t exaggerate. In my first season you (the media) exaggerated and we ended up winning the treble.” The biggest match in club football is expected to capture an audience of 650 million people worldwide, according to figures released by La Liga.