La Liga Matchday 10 will be highlighted by the season's first El Clasico, with Barcelona looking to extend their perfect run and Real Madrid hoping to close the gap on their arch-rivals
An intriguing situation has developed in Spain's La Liga ahead of Matchday 10, with the title race beginning to take shape.
As reported by İdman.Biz, Barcelona, managed by Hansi Flick, have won all nine league matches and comfortably lead the standings with 27 points. Atletico Madrid sit second with 22 points, followed by Real Madrid on 21. Real Betis complete the top four with 19 points, ahead of Real Sociedad (16) and Sevilla (14).
At the opposite end of the table, several well-known clubs are struggling. Valencia occupy 19th place with just six points, while Elche (7) and Malaga (5) are also in the relegation zone. Malaga remain the only team in the competition without a victory.
Matchday 10 began on October 23 with a 1-1 draw between Alaves and Malaga. Adrian Niño gave the visitors the lead, but Aitor Mañas equalized in the 89th minute. As a result, Alaves moved to seventh place with 12 points, while Malaga remained bottom with five.
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
The undisputed highlight of the round will take place at Camp Nou, where Spain's two biggest clubs meet in the first El Clasico of the season. More than three points will be at stake, with the result potentially having a major impact on the title race.
Barcelona enter the encounter with an almost flawless domestic record. The Catalans have scored 39 goals and conceded just nine in their opening nine league matches. In the previous round, Flick's side thrashed Real Betis 5-2 away from home.
However, Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season in midweek. The Catalans lost 4-2 to reigning Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain despite twice coming from behind to equalize. The result ended their 11-match winning streak across all competitions and exposed certain defensive weaknesses.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, approach the clash on the back of four consecutive victories in all competitions. Mourinho's team defeated Sevilla 4-1 in their previous league fixture before recording another 4-1 win against German side RB Leipzig in the Champions League.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid's position in La Liga remains challenging. With 21 points from nine matches, Los Blancos trail Barcelona by six points. Victory at Camp Nou would reduce the deficit to three, while defeat would see the gap increase to nine.
The historical rivalry adds another fascinating dimension to the encounter. The two clubs have met in 264 official matches, with their head-to-head record perfectly balanced at 106 victories each and 52 draws. Sunday's match could therefore give one side the outright lead in the overall standings.
In La Liga meetings alone, Real Madrid hold a narrow advantage, with 80 victories compared to Barcelona's 77, alongside 35 draws.
The teams faced each other three times last season. Real Madrid won the first league encounter 2-1 at home on October 26, 2025. Barcelona then gained revenge with a 3-2 victory in the Spanish Super Cup final before winning their home league fixture 2-0 on May 10, 2026, securing their 29th Spanish championship ahead of schedule.
Overall, recent El Clasico encounters have been dominated by Barcelona. Flick has won six of his seven matches against Real Madrid as Barcelona manager, with four of those victories directly contributing to trophy triumphs.
Another major storyline is Jose Mourinho's return to Camp Nou as Real Madrid head coach. The Portuguese tactician, who previously managed Los Blancos between 2010 and 2013, is back at the center of Spanish football's fiercest rivalry more than 13 years later.
During his first spell in Madrid, Mourinho faced Barcelona 17 times, recording five wins, six draws and six defeats.
He will now experience his first El Clasico against Flick. The two coaches have met only once before, in December 2019, when Flick's Bayern Munich defeated Mourinho's Tottenham Hotspur 3-1 in the Champions League.
Both teams are also dealing with significant injury and suspension concerns.
Barcelona will be without Dani Olmo, Eric Garcia, Andreas Christensen and Roony Bardghji through injury. Jules Kounde is also doubtful after suffering an ankle problem in Paris.
Real Madrid's biggest absence will be Vinicius Junior. The Brazilian winger is serving a four-match suspension following his dismissal against Villarreal and will miss the crucial encounter. Rodrygo and Raul Asencio are also continuing their recoveries.
Without Vinicius, much of Real Madrid's attacking responsibility will fall on Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Arda Guler. Barcelona, meanwhile, will look to Lamine Yamal and Raphinha to provide their main attacking threat.
The upcoming El Clasico therefore promises to be not only a battle for crucial points but also a clash of contrasting coaching philosophies. For Barcelona, it represents an opportunity to strengthen their position as title favorites, while Real Madrid will be determined to reignite the championship race.
Atletico Madrid vs. Deportivo La Coruna
Another important fixture in the title race will take place on Saturday at the Metropolitano Stadium, where Atletico Madrid host newly promoted Deportivo La Coruna.
Diego Simeone's side sit second with 22 points and remain Barcelona's closest challengers. After a difficult start to September, Atletico have significantly improved their form, winning five consecutive league matches.
During that run, the Madrid club defeated Real Sociedad, Osasuna, Real Madrid, Alaves and Espanyol. Their 2-1 victory over city rivals Real Madrid was particularly significant.
However, Atletico were unable to maintain their winning momentum in the Champions League, drawing 1-1 away to Stuttgart in midweek. Julian Alvarez scored their only goal, leaving the Spanish side with four points after three European matches.
Simeone also faces several selection problems ahead of the Deportivo encounter. Koke, Cristian Romero and Johnny Cardoso are unavailable through injury, although Lee Kang-in has recovered and could return to the squad.
Deportivo, who finished second in Spain's Segunda Division last season, have made a relatively encouraging return to the top flight. Antonio Hidalgo's team occupy ninth place with 11 points from nine matches, having recorded two victories, five draws and two defeats.
However, their recent results have been less impressive. The Galician side are winless in five consecutive matches and were held to a 1-1 home draw by Levante in the previous round.
Injuries to attacking players have become a major concern for the visitors. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Zakaria Eddahchouri, Marc Casado and Bright Ede are all unavailable.
Aubameyang's absence is particularly significant, as the experienced forward remains Deportivo's leading scorer with five goals.
The head-to-head statistics also favor the hosts. Atletico have won five of their last six meetings with Deportivo and have not lost to the Galician club since November 2009. Deportivo's last away victory over Atletico dates back to November 1999.
The fixture carries additional significance for Simeone's team. Victory would temporarily reduce Barcelona's lead to just two points, increasing the pressure on the Catalan giants ahead of El Clasico.
La Liga Matchday 10 fixtures (Baku time)
October 23, Friday
23:00. Alaves vs. Malaga – 1-1
October 24, Saturday
16:00. Rayo Vallecano vs. Elche\
18:15. Racing Santander vs. Espanyol\
20:30. Valencia vs. Villarreal\
23:00. Atletico Madrid vs. Deportivo La Coruna
October 25, Sunday
17:00. Athletic Bilbao vs. Getafe\
19:15. Celta Vigo vs. Real Betis\
21:30. Real Sociedad vs. Levante\
23:59. Barcelona vs. Real Madrid
October 26, Monday
23:59. Sevilla vs. Osasuna
La Liga standings after Alaves vs. Malaga
1. Barcelona – 27
2. Atletico Madrid – 22
3. Real Madrid – 21
4. Real Betis – 19
5. Real Sociedad – 16
6. Sevilla – 14
7. Alaves – 12
8. Celta Vigo – 11
9. Deportivo La Coruna – 11
10. Osasuna – 11
11. Levante – 10
12. Villarreal – 9
13. Athletic Bilbao – 9
14. Rayo Vallecano – 9
15. Getafe – 9
16. Espanyol – 8
17. Racing Santander – 8
18. Elche – 7
19. Valencia – 6
20. Malaga – 5
