El Clasico! Barcelona vs Real Madrid: can Los Blancos end Barca's perfect league start?

Barcelona host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday evening in a highly anticipated El Clasico, with both sides looking to strengthen their La Liga title ambitions.

The Catalan giants have enjoyed a perfect start to their league campaign, winning all nine matches to sit top of the La Liga table with 27 points, six ahead of third-placed Real Madrid.

However, Hansi Flick's side suffered their first defeat of the season on Tuesday, losing 4-2 to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, raising questions about their ability to respond against another European heavyweight.

Speaking ahead of the clash, Flick said: "It's much more than three points. I think everyone involved knows how we want to play, and that's what matters. We're ready and I have confidence in my team."

Barcelona will take confidence from their recent dominance in this fixture, having won six of their last seven meetings with Real Madrid, including a 2-0 victory at Camp Nou last season.

The Blaugrana also secured an emphatic 5-2 victory over Real Betis last weekend and could extend their advantage over their fierce rivals to nine points with another win on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho's side arrive in impressive form, having recorded four consecutive victories across all competitions, including a convincing 4-1 Champions League triumph over RB Leipzig.

Los Blancos also defeated Sevilla 4-1 in their previous league outing, recovering strongly from their defeat to Atletico Madrid before the international break.

Despite their recent momentum, Mourinho acknowledged the unpredictable nature of El Clasico during his pre-match press conference.

The Portuguese coach said: "We arrive in a good dynamic, but these matches are different, and what you've done before has no influence."

With Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappe among the attacking talents on display, Sunday's encounter promises to be another fascinating chapter in Spanish football's biggest rivalry.

Team news:

Barcelona will be without Dani Olmo, Roony Bardghji, Andreas Christensen and Eric Garcia through injury, while Jules Kounde has also been ruled out with an ankle problem.

Joao Cancelo and Xavi Espart are expected to occupy the full-back positions, with Rodri and Fermin Lopez likely to return to the starting XI.

Real Madrid will be missing Rodrygo, Ferland Mendy and Raul Asencio through injury, while Vinicius Junior is suspended.

Federico Valverde could operate at right-back, allowing Bernardo Silva to feature in midfield alongside Aurelien Tchouameni.

Predicted lineups:

Barcelona (4-2-3-1): J Garcia; Cancelo, Cubarsi, Martin, Espart; Rodri, Pedri; Yamal, Fermin, Gordon; Raphinha.

Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Courtois; Valverde, Konate, Huijsen, Cucurella; Tchouameni, Bernardo; Guler, Bellingham, Diomande; Mbappe.

Barcelona's flawless league form makes them formidable opponents, but Real Madrid's recent resurgence suggests Sunday's encounter could be closely contested.

With both sides possessing considerable attacking quality, an entertaining El Clasico with goals at both ends looks likely.