Bold claim! Guti rules out a Barcelona thrashing of Madrid in the Clasico
Guti has fired the first shots of Clasico week. The former Real Madrid midfielder insisted that Barcelona, for all their flying form this season, are not going to thrash his old club when the two sides meet at Camp Nou on October 25.
Details: Speaking on Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, the ex-merengue was categorical: 'Obviously, Barça are not going to thrash Madrid,' he said, before questioning the quality of Barcelona's opposition so far. 'Barça haven't yet played against any strong team. Let's see if they fight for the Champions League,' Guti added, naming Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid as the kind of opponents who would truly measure Hansi Flick's side. The table supports Barcelona's strong start: they lead La Liga with a six-point advantage over fourth-placed Madrid and a goal difference of +16. Yet Guti argued that such numbers can flatter. 'New players arrive from abroad and when you play well and win they seem better than they are,' he warned, though he did offer the Catalans genuine praise for their composure: 'It's a great team and it has that calm that Real Madrid doesn't have.' He also highlighted the unity around Madrid, noting a great communion in the squad that will persist 'even if they lose three matches.'
The first Clasico of the season arrives on Sunday, October 25, at 21:00 local time at the revamped Camp Nou, and it will be the first true examination of Barcelona's perfect campaign. Barça have won all eight of their matches so far, seven in the league and one in the Champions League, but their fixture list has been notably gentle: none of their opponents rank among Europe's elite. Madrid, by contrast, have already been tested in Europe and domestically, and arrive with their own concerns, including the fitness of Raúl Asencio, who is edging towards surgery on a broken tibia that would rule him out of the trip to Catalonia, while Frenkie de Jong and Raphinha are among the names being monitored on the Barcelona side. Guti's message was ultimately a compliment wrapped in provocation: he believes Madrid's dressing room has a resilience that survives defeats, and that Barça's new-look squad has yet to prove itself against anyone of consequence.
It's worth noting that Guti's analysis carries a familiar El Chiringuito blend of theatre and sincerity: the former playmaker has become a regular voice on the programme precisely because he is willing to needle Barcelona while acknowledging their strengths, and his suggestion that the Catalans have faced 'nobody strong' will be put to the test within weeks, first against PSG in the Champions League and then against Madrid itself.
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Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
