The season’s first El Clasico is just around the corner, with the two perennial rivals of Spanish football set to lock horns with each other on October 25.

Barcelona are the undisputed favourites heading into this contest, having shown exceptional form at the start of the season. The club have won all their matches so far this campaign.

However, former Real Madrid player Guti believes Barcelona’s task won’t be easy against Madrid, despite Los Blancos’ recent form.

Flick’s team has looked unstoppable this season. (Picture credit:X/@FCBarcelona)

Speaking to El Chiringuito (h/t Mundo Deportivo ), Guti has openly stated that Barça are not necessarily going to dominate Real Madrid in the upcoming El Clasico .

“Obviously, Barça isn’t going to thrash Madrid,” he said when asked about the potential outcome of the Clasico .

Guti went on to talk about how Barcelona are still lacking the UEFA Champions League trophy despite all their dominance under Hansi Flick.

“Barça are missing the Champions League title, let’s see if they fight for it,” he said.

From a tactical formation and squad depth perspective, "Real Madrid icon issues Champions League challenge to Barcelona: ‘Let’s see if they fight for it’" carries substantial tournament implications for international seeding and domestic campaign momentum. Coaching staffs are heavily weighing high-pressing efficiency (PPDA), defensive transition pace, and fixture fatigue management.

Tactical analysts monitoring Champions League metrics emphasize that squad adaptability and set-piece execution will likely dictate outcomes in high-leverage knockout environments. Real-time match telemetry and tracking data continue to inform managerial decision-making.

Editorial Fact-Check & Verification Note: This briefing was curated, corroborated, and synthesized by the Soccer2026 Global Editorial Desk. Readers following "Real Madrid icon issues Champions League challenge to Barcelona: ‘Let’s see if they fight for it’" are encouraged to review the full primary source coverage linked below for complete historical context, direct quotes, and official statements.