Barcelona predicted lineup vs Real Madrid - La Liga

Barcelona's 13-game unbeaten run was brought to an end by Paris Saint-Germain in midweek, as the Catalans ironically collapsed in vintage PSG fashion to exit the Champions League.

Ronald Araujo's dismissal thrust a controlled Barca into a state of chaos, and despite Xavi's attempts to deflect his side's defeat onto the officials, there's no doubt that Barca were the masters of their own demise.

There's no time for Xavi's side to feel sorry about themselves, however. El Clasico is up next, and Barcelona need to walk away with all three points if they're to keep themselves in the title race.

Here's the team Xavi could pick for Sunday's clash in Madrid.

GK: Marc-Andre ter Stegen - There were no Ter Stegen heroics to bail Barca out in midweek, as the German conceded four in a 4-1 defeat. The German is one of only a few El Clasico veterans in the Barca side.

RB: Jules Kounde - Kounde has impressed at right-back in 2024, and he'll have his work cut out against a Madrid frontline which seeks to overload the left-hand side.

CB: Ronald Araujo — The defender's mistimed challenge cost Barcelona dearly on Tuesday, and Xavi might consider his status for Sunday's game. However, Araujo is the most athletic defender on the club's books and he'll be needed to tame Madrid in transition.

CB: Pau Cubarsi — The teenager refused to lose his head amid the mayhem against PSG, and he'll start his first Clasico on Sunday.

LB: Joao Cancelo - Cancelo's clumsy lunge on Ousmane Dembele was another critical incident in midweek, but Xavi will likely stick with the versatile operator given his lack of alternatives.

CM: Frenkie de Jong - Having returned from a month's absence in Paris, De Jong will feature heavily at the base of Barca's midfield for the rest of