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Real Madrid have almost been note-perfect this season, posting 11 wins from their 12 matches in all competitions, with their only defeat coming away to Atletico Madrid at the end of September. Xabi Alonso’s side have won eight of their nine league matches, with 24 points seeing them top of the table, two points ahead of second-placed Barcelona, and they recorded a 1-0 victory over Getafe in La Liga last time out. Los Blancos were also 1-0 winners in the Champions League on Wednesday night, with Jude Bellingham on the score sheet against Juventus to keep the capital outfit perfect in the league phase of the tournament. Real Madrid have not been at their best this season, already conceding nine times in their nine matches, but they are the second-highest goal scorers in Spain’s top flight this term on 20, four fewer than Barcelona have managed. Los Blancos have four more games before the November international break kicks in, welcoming Valencia to Bernabeu on November 1, before the small matter of a trip to Liverpool in the Champions League three days later; Alonso’s side will then head to Rayo Vallecano in the league on November 9. Real Madrid will have revenge on their minds in this match, as Barcelona won all four matches between the two sides last season – across three competitions – including a stunning 4-0 victory at Bernabeu last October. READ ALSO: FULL PROFILE: Meet new Chief of Army Staff Major-General W. Shaibu Barcelona, meanwhile, were also in Champions League action during the week, recording a 6-1 victory over Olympiacos to return to winning ways in the competition, making it six points from their first three matches. The Catalan outfit were stunned by Sevilla before the October international break, suffering a 4-1 defeat, but they managed to bounce back against Girona last weekend, securing a 2-1 win, before finding the back of the net on six occasions in the Champions League last time out. Barcelona’s other dropped points in La Liga this season came away to Rayo Vallecano at the end of August, and injury problems have caused the champions issues early in the campaign – their defence has also been far from water-tight, and that will be a cause for concern ahead of this match.
