Barcelona arrive at this Clasico in imperious form, having won all five of their last league matches and sitting top of the table. Their home record this season has been remarkable for its one-sidedness - averaging 3.1 goals scored while conceding just 0.5 per game, with clean sheets in over half their home fixtures. That defensive solidity is well above the norm for La Liga, and it makes life difficult for any visitor.

Real Madrid come in with a decent but imperfect away record, picking up three wins from five but with a loss and a draw in the mix. They average nearly two goals per game on the road, but also concede more regularly than Barcelona's backline tends to allow.

The one H2H meeting this season went Real Madrid's way, which adds intrigue, but the overall data paints Barcelona as the stronger force right now. This looks like a high-scoring affair in Barcelona's favour, with the over 2.5 line well supported by both sides' numbers.