Real Madrid arrive at El Clasico carrying genuine momentum but facing a significant test of whether their recent revival can hold up against the best side in Spain. Jose Mourinho's men have won four consecutive matches across La Liga and the Champions League, including a 4-1 dismantling of RB Leipzig in Europe, and that run has transformed the mood around the club after a difficult start to the season. Sitting third with 21 points, they trail leaders Barcelona by six, meaning Sunday's fixture at Spotify Camp Nou is already a pivotal moment in the title race.

Mourinho has been vocal in pushing back against the idea that his squad should be judged against Barcelona's settled operation. Speaking ahead of the Clasico, he argued that with barely six weeks of proper training time together, his group is still an early-stage project rather than a finished product. That context matters, because the squad arrives in Catalonia without Vinicius Junior, who is serving a suspension, while Rodrygo and Raul Asencio are also sidelined through injury. Yan Diomande is expected to fill in on the wing, with Federico Valverde shifting to right-back.

Off the pitch, the dressing room drama between Aurelien Tchouameni and Federico Valverde, which resulted in €500,000 fines for both players following a May altercation, appears to have settled. Tchouameni has publicly stated the pair have moved on, and Mourinho has confirmed the same. With momentum restored and internal tensions eased, the challenge now is translating that stability into a result against a Barcelona side that has not lost a league game all season.