Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet has vowed to score his first goal for the club in Sunday’s Clasico.
The meeting with Real Madrid marks the end of an era in La Liga as it is the first time since 2007 that neither Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo will not make an appearance in the game.
Ronaldo left La Liga and Real Madrid for Serie A and Juventus in the summer while Messi is nursing a broken arm on the sidelines.
Despite the absence of arguably the world’s two greatest players, the fixture is still a significant date on the world’s footballing calendar and defender Lenglet is determined to make an impression in such an enormous game.
Lenglet botched an opportunity to score midweek against Inter Milan in the Champions League but aims to rectify that against Real.
“The chances missed are frustrating, but I aim to now score on Sunday,” Lenglet told reporters, via Football Espana.
Barcelona eased passed Inter despite Lenglet’s miss, but the 23-year-old defender acknowledges that defeating their rivals in the league presents a completely different challenge.
“The performance here (against) Inter was very pleasing but we promise that Sunday will be totally different, we know this will be one of our most important games of the season.
“We need to look to take control of the game in a similar manner and that will mean we enhance what we can do and stop opponents from doing damage to us.
“We were balanced in defence and attack, we hope to continue on this path.”
Lopetegui’s last life?
In La Liga, Madrid have got the better of these encounters, winning two more than Barca with 72 victories. Barcelona, however, have tasted more victories in Clasico games across all competitions, winning 112 of their 271 encounters.
Los Blancos have already lost three of their opening nine league games in Julen Lopetegui’s first season in charge, scoring just 13 goals in that time without Cristiano Ronaldo.
A win for Barcelona would send them back to the top of the league table, which is currently occupied by Atletico Madrid, and will condemn Real Madrid to three consecutive defeats across all competitions for the first time since 2009, possibly spelling the end for Lopetegui’s short stint in charge of the club.
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