Barcelona v Real Madrid tension is building and El Clasico can light a furious fuse
Refereeing controversies, conspiracies, ‘50,000-page dossiers’ and the return of Jose Mourinho add a sharp edge to the star-studded first Clasico of the season
Barcelona and Real Madrid's tension is escalating ahead of their upcoming El Clasico match at Camp Nou. The Spanish league's president, Javier Tebas, issued a press release accusing Real Madrid of "intimidation" and seeking to "destroy" the Spanish league after the club's CEO criticized his use of "propaganda techniques" similar to those used by Nazi Germany during World War II.
In response, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez accused Barcelona of "stealing" seven league titles from their club and demanded a "full clarification" regarding payments made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the Spanish football federation's technical committee of referees. Relations between the clubs have been strained, with Barcelona withdrawing from the European Super League in February.
Mourinho, returning to Real Madrid after his departure in 2013, will face pressure to avoid another defeat, especially with Barcelona scoring 50 goals in their first 12 matches of the season. The match promises to be a spectacle of individual talent, with Kylian Mbappe facing Lamine Yamal and Bellingham or Rodri deciding the midfield battle.
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