This may be a friendly, but there is no such thing as a “friendly” in an El Clasico. There is no friendliness when Real Madrid and FC Barcelona get together. Raphinha, Ilkay Gundogan and Jules Kounde are all expected to play a part here though, as they are set to link up with the rest of the team for this epic match at the home of the New York Jets and New York Giants .
However, several key players are set to miss out for Barca here
El Clasico FYIs
Club Friendly: Real Madrid vs FC Barcelona, Watch: ESPN
Kickoff: Sat Aug. 3, 7:30 ET, Met Life Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ, USA
FC Barcelona Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Real Madrid Preview Material: Team News Starting XI Prediction
Buy the book: Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America
FC Barcelona Team News
Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal remain on extended breaks after helping Spain achieve glory at the 2024 European Championships. Meanwhile Fermin Lopez, Eric Garcia and Pau Cubarsi are representing the Spanish national team at a different competition. They’re at the Olympic summer games in Paris, France.
Meanwhile the Catalan Club are also dealing with the absence of several key players due to injury (which was a major theme of last season).
Ansu Fati, Gavi, Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, and Ronald Araujo will play no part here, due to that reason.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter.