"We have to go win on Sunday" - Barcelona president Joan Laporta makes claim ahead of El Clasico clash against Real Madrid
Barcelona president Joan Laporta wants his team to win at Real Madrid in La Liga on Sunday (April 21).
The Blaugrana are coming off a 4-1 home defeat to PSG in midweek in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal second leg. Leading 3-2 from the first leg at the Parc des Princes, the La Liga giants made the perfect start, with Raphinha opening the scoring inside 12 minutes.
However, calamity struck 17 minutes later when centre-back Ronald Araujo saw red, and the Parisians would storm back into the tie. Former Barca man Ousmane Dembele reduced arrears in the 40th minute before Vitinha made it 4-4 on aggregate five minutes into the second period.
A Kylian Mbappe penalty shortly after the hour mark put the Parisians ahead before the club's all-time top-scorer confirmed the win a minute from time. It marked Xavi's side's first defeat across competitions in 12 games since losing 5-3 at home to Villarreal in La Liga.
There's little time to dwell on the continental ouster, as Barca travel to the home of their arch-rivals and league leaders Real Madrid at the weekend. Ahead of the El Clasico clash, Laporta - whose team trail Los Blancos by eight points in the league after 31 games - said that the team have no option but to win.
"We have to go win on Sunday," Laporta said (as per Victor Navarro via FCB Live)
The Blaugrana lost 4-1 to Los Blancos in their last meeting - in the Supercopa Espana final in January.
What happened when Barcelona played Real Madrid in the league this season?
Barcelona are in the midst of a solid, if not impressive, season. Although they haven't hit the heights of last season, Xavi's side have a chance of winning silverware this season if they win at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Having lost to their arch-rivals in the Supercopa Espana final, the Blaugrana will be keen to avoid a league double, having lost 2-1 at home in their first league meeting of the season in October.
Summer signing Ilkay Gundoga put Barca ahead after six minutes only for Jude Bellingham to restore parity shortly for Real Madrid after the hour mark. The English midfielder then scored a dramatic winner in stoppage time as Carlo Ancelotti's side took home all three points.