Birmingham Academy Overview

Real Madrid have sent a targeted delegation to London for the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony, placing Kylian Mbappe front and centre of their presence. While the French forward has made the trip to England, notable heavyweights Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham have opted to remain in the Spanish capital.

Barcelona have been dealt a significant setback in defence with the news that Xavi Espart is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines. The young full-back suffered a serious ankle injury during Sunday's 2-1 defeat to Real Madrid and is not expected to feature again until 2027.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has revealed that Raphinha asked to be substituted moments before Real Madrid scored their late Clasico winner. The Brazilian attacker, who had been struggling with a recent injury issue, completely ran out of energy during the closing stages of the match.

Former Barcelona midfielder Gerard Lopez believes Real Madrid are a significantly stronger team without suspended winger Vinicius Junior in their starting line-up. The pundit made the bold claim after watching the side secure a crucial Clasico victory over their fierce rivals at Camp Nou.