Real Madrid enter the new season under sweeping change: a re-elected club president and a sensational return for José Mourinho, who takes charge from July 13 after a 13-year gap away from the Bernabéu. Fresh signings Ibrahima Konaté, Marc Cucurella, and Bernardo Silva have been brought in to close the gap fast. Barcelona, by contrast, offer continuity, Hansi Flick remains in charge of a squad that won the 2025-26 La Liga title by nine points and beat Real Madrid 2-0 in the exact match that clinched it.
Key Battle
Mourinho’s pragmatic, defense-first approach vs Flick’s high-press system, the first real test of whether Real Madrid’s new identity can contain Barcelona’s attacking rhythm.
Our Pick
Barcelona to win, but by a narrower margin than recent meetings