There is always drama in a derby that rarely disappoints.
The 35th edition of El Clásico in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague this century takes place in Round 5, as Real Madrid hosts FC Barcelona on Thursday at 20:30 CET. Both Los Blancos and the Blaugrana come into this derby as the only two undefeated teams left in the EuroLeague, and the winner will take sole possession of first place in the standings.
There are certain games in the calendar that get circled, and El Clásico is a fixture that fans of both Real and Barca immediately look for. It seems that the same applies for the players, too.
"It's always a special game for us," says Real playmaker Facu Campazzo. "We understand that it's not a normal game," adds Real point guard Sergio Rodriguez.
Mateo vs. Grimau
On the benches, Real tactician Chus Mateo will come up against first-year Barca head coach Roger Grimau for the first time in the EuroLeague. Coach Mateo led Los Blancos to the EuroLeague title last season in his first year after succeeding Pablo Laso, while Coach Grimau now coaches the team he captained to EuroLeague glory in 2010. For Grimau, he plans to lean on his playing experience as he enters his first Clásico as a head coach.
"Obviously, it's quite different playing than being the coach, but I think this is going to be useful for me," says Coach Grimau.
Meanwhile, Coach Mateo expects to see a different Barca side from the one led by former boss Saras Jasikevicius, who guided the Blaugrana to three straight Final Four appearances between 2021 and 2023.
"Now with Roger Grimau, they are probably going to play differently. They are probably going to play a little bit faster and allow the players to create a little bit more from their individual skills," notes Coach Mateo.
There is always a lot on the line when El Clásico comes around, both in the standings and in terms of bragging rights for the fans. Real and Barca have both looked unstoppable in the early weeks of the 2023-24 season, but one of their unbeaten starts will come to an end on Thursday. The only guarantee with El Clásico is right there in the name – it is going to be a classic.