El Clasico will be a defining moment for both teams this season, although there's no guarantee who will win La Liga.
We hope there will be a much more balanced competition for both teams, making this rivalry something interesting to watch.
In last season's classics, Real Madrid didn't play, Madrid threw up, that's what they did, because their play was bad from start to finish, Ancelotti didn't know how to replant the team, they didn't have a good defense, I understand that, the players were mostly injured, but it's Madrid, they couldn't lose so badly, a general humiliation and twice, that's something no club should tolerate, that's why Ancelotti left. The games should be much more balanced now, where Madrid should dominate.
In recent seasons, El Clasico has felt less intense, as it's been a long time since both teams have been at their peak during the same period, or even in the same season. For example, last season, when Barcelona was at its peak, Real Madrid's performance unfortunately declined. And vice versa, going back further, Madrid was at its peak while Barcelona was in a slump.
Barcelona is currently in top form. They haven't made many changes for this season, but they're still performing very well, and so is Real Madrid, who are starting to improve under Xabi Alonso. Therefore, I expect this derby to be an even more intense contest.