New El Clasico era kickoff as a new look Barcelona host a Real Madrid in transition

The biggest contest in the world of football, the world prepare for the first Clasico of the season in a rather unusual scenario as the team sheet of both clubs entail far-fetch names while most of the known personnels have moved on.

Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in the Clasico for the first time in 2021-22 season/ Visionhaus/Getty Images

Both Real Madrid and Barcelona have been graced by great players in the past and in most recent times. The Spanish giants are known to parade big name players, arguably the best in the game represent the two club.

They are the dream club of any player. Each having a proud history and financially buoyant, only few could rival them when they set their eyes on a player.

For Los Blancos, the history have come long way from the times of Alfredo Di Stefano, Ferenc Puskas, Paco Gento, Hugo Sanchez, José Santamari to the times of the Galacticos of the early 2000s in Florentino Perez first tenure as the president.

The history went on till most recently the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Kaka, Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema, Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and others.

For Barcelona, the most successful part of their history started in the mid 2000s and it was well managed, sustained and it bore good success for them, adding a lot of silverware and keeping them in the spotlight.

From Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, Thierry Henry, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta, Sergio Busquests Carles Puyol and most important of all, Lionel Messi.

The Argentine, Messi recently left the club in a rather awkward circumstance. Both Real Madrid and Barcelona are currently experiencing financial crisis due to the detrimental effect of the Covid-19, they have been unable to compete with other European heavyweights for big name signings the last summer.

In most recent Clasicos, Lionel Messi has not been really effective as he used to be in the fixture. The six time Balon d'Or winner had scored 26 goals in 37 appearances against Madrid, but failed to find the back of the net in his last seven games against Los Blancos.

Infact, the last time he scored in a Clasico was Cristiano Ronaldo's final appearance in the fixture back in 2018, in a 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou. Sergio Ramos spent a good part of last season nursing injuries, which limited him to only 15 league outings in 2020-21.

For Barcelona, only Sergio Busquests, Gerard Pique, Marc Andres Ter Stegen and Jordi Alba (if passed fit) have good and longer memories 9f the fixture. Real Madrid still have more of those on their side, but most of them have fallen out of the starting XI, so it will be interesting to see the names Carlo Ancelotti call on.

If available, both Édouardo Camavinga and David Alaba will be playing in their first Clasico, after joining from Rennes and Bayern Munich respectively in the summer. Former Bayern Munich defender, Alaba is no stranger to playing against Barcelona, but the Clasico is a different experience, and he will surely be looking forward to it.

On the back of a 5-0 demolition of Shaktar Donesk in the Champions League on Tuesday, after they had gone three games without a win, Carlo Ancelotti will hope that result is a testament of their return to form and he will be looking for the same energy at the Camp Nou on Sunday.

For Barcelona, they have made a really poor start to the season but coming into the Clasico, they have won their last two games, the first time they have won two straight games this season. Ronald Koeman will be hopeful that his side can sustain their form and make a good impression in the Clasico.

The return of players on the sideline is also another positive for the club. Sergio Aguero and Memphis Depay are big names who will be making their first appearance in the famous fixture. Youngsters like Pablo Gavira and Nico Gonzalez are also available and the manager will decide if they can get a run in the game.

Of the players left in the team of both clubs, Karim Benzema is the top scorer in this fixture with 10 goals, and he will be looking to add more to continue his blistering start to the season.

Vinicius Junior is another player that has found joy in the new season. The Brazilian has scored seven goals and registered three assists this season for the club. He also has history against Barcelona, scoring the opener in a 2-0 win back in March 2020.

Of the players left in the squad, Gerard Pique is Barcelona top scorer in Clasico with two strikes. Recently becoming joint-top scoring defender in the Champions League with his 16th goal in the competition on Wednesday, even if he is not expected to get among the goals, Pique will still be a threat in aerial situations.

Ansu Fati has also scored once in this fixture and inheriting the famous No. 10 shirt, he will be looking to make his mark, knowing the history of the past No. 10s at the club.

Sergio Aguero has faced Real Madrid 14 times while playing for Manchester City and Atletico Madrid and has never won against Los Blancos losing 10 times in the process. He will be looking to a better outing in the Clasico.

The Laliga matchday 10 fixture come up on Sunday afternoon at the Camp Nou in Barcelona. Mr Jose Sanchez has been appointed as the center referee for the match.

Real Madrid have won each of the last three meetings between the two sides and are unbeaten in last four overall, that coming right after Barcelona have gone seven unbeaten in the fixture, winning four in that run.

Real Madrid are currently two points ahead of their rival on the league table and the host have a chance to turn their season round with a win on Sunday, while a win for the visitors means stamping their authority on the fixture, making it four straight wins for the first time since September 1962 to February 1965 when they won six on the bounce.

Afolabi Kehinde Hassan