CONFIRMED lineups: Barcelona vs Real Madrid; Champions Collide Preseason 2023

Managing Madrid is on site tonight as Real Madrid take to the field at AT&T stadium in Dallas, TX for their third pre-season game this summer — this time a Clasico against FC Barcelona.

Real Madrid and Barcelona have both published their line-ups:

Real Madrid starting XI: Courtois, Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Mendy, Ferland Mendy, Tchouameni, Camavinga, Valverde, Bellingham, Rodrygo, Vinicius.

Barcelona starting XI: Ter Stegen, Balde, Araujo, Christensen, Kounde, Oriol, Gundogan, De Jong, Pedri, Dembele, Lewandowski

Both teams are putting out some of their strongest line-ups. It will be the first taste of a Clasico for the likes of Bellingham, Gundogan, and Oriol Romeu. Ancelotti opted for a midfield without Kroos and Modric, suggesting that the team may implement a high-press from the first minute. Thibaut Courtois returns from injury to start in net and Ferland Mendy gets the nod over Fran Garcia at left back.

After Barcelona’s first preseason match, Xavi claimed Arsenal were “too intense” for a preseason match. Neither team will want injuries, but is unlikely that the match will be friendly. No game between Barcelona and Real Madrid will ever be a friendly.