Kanada: Fußball FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2026, Achtelfinale - Schweiz vs Kolumbien - BC Place, Vancouver: Jürgen Klopp, TV-Fußballexperte bei MagentaTV Mimik, Gesichtsausdruck, Emotion, Portraitfoto, Portrait, Einzelaufnahme, Porträt *** Canada Soccer, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Round of 16: Switzerland vs. Colombia at BC Place, Vancouver; Jurgen Klopp, soccer analyst on MagentaTV; facial expressions, emotion, portrait photo, portrait, single shot, portrait Copyright: xJOERANxSTEINSIEKx
Kanada: Fußball FIFA World Cup, WM, Weltmeisterschaft, Fussball 2026, Achtelfinale - Schweiz vs Kolumbien - BC Place, Vancouver: Jürgen Klopp, TV-Fußballexperte bei MagentaTV Mimik, Gesichtsausdruck, Emotion, Portraitfoto, Portrait, Einzelaufnahme, Porträt *** Canada Soccer, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Round of 16: Switzerland vs. Colombia at BC Place, Vancouver; Jurgen Klopp, soccer analyst on MagentaTV; facial expressions, emotion, portrait photo, portrait, single shot, portrait Copyright: xJOERANxSTEINSIEKx
Jose Mourinho has not sat in the away dugout for a Clasico since his first spell at Real Madrid ended in 2013.
Sunday’s trip to Camp Nou will be his first match in charge of Los Blancos against Barcelona since his return to the club in June.
The Portuguese replaced Alvaro Arbeloa after a turbulent end to last season and has overseen a bright start domestically and in Europe.
His return, 13 years on from his first spell in Madrid, adds a fresh layer of intrigue to a fixture that rarely needs one.
Barcelona, under Hansi Flick, arrive as league leaders and are chasing a third straight La Liga title. Both clubs head into the weekend off the back of contrasting midweek assignments in the Champions League.
What makes this particular Clasico worth watching goes beyond the two managers and the table.
One of the most recognisable figures in European football has been speaking about which side he currently rates higher, and his reasoning has some history behind it.
Jurgen Klopp believes Barcelona are the stronger of the two sides heading into Sunday’s Clasico, according to Buli News.
The former Liverpool manager’s comments land as Flick’s side look to respond after their first defeat of the season.
Barcelona lead Real Madrid by six points in La Liga, having won 27 points from their opening nine matches. Real Madrid sit third on 21 points, one behind second-placed Atletico Madrid.
Klopp, who left Liverpool in 2024 and is no longer involved in club management, confirmed he will be watching Sunday’s match regardless of his lack of direct ties to either club.
He said El Clasico is a fixture he has followed throughout his career, wherever he has been working.
“Of course I’ll watch El Clasico between Barcelona and Real Madrid. I’ve watched this game at every stage of my life,” Klopp said.
The German explained that his historical leaning toward Barcelona stemmed from his dislike of Real Madrid’s defensive approach during Pepe’s time at the club.
“In the past, I was more of a Barcelona supporter because I used to hate it when Pepe and the other defenders used to clear everything out of the way back then,” he said. “That’s the only reason I always supported Barca.”
Jurgen Klopp said he no longer holds that bias and now watches the fixture from a neutral standpoint, basing his view on form rather than allegiance.
“These days, I watch it with a neutral perspective. Today, I support the better team. And looking at things at the moment, that is probably Barcelona,” he told Buli News.
The two sides had sharply contrasting results in the Champions League in midweek.
Barcelona lost 4-2 away to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, a result that ended an unbeaten start to the season that had stretched to 11 wins from 11 matches. Real Madrid responded a day later with a 4-1 win at home to RB Leipzig.
Support DaveOCKOP and enjoy the site completely ad-free. You’ll get an uninterrupted browsing experience while helping us continue to deliver the latest Liverpool news, breaking stories and exclusives. Go ad-free today.