Paris Saint Germain head coach Luis Enrique made a bold prediction about tonight’s El Clasico in La Liga between Barcelona and Real Madrid, saying the Catalan Giants will easily defeat their arch nemesis.

Barcelona currently top the La Liga table, sitting four points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. Carlo Ancelotti’s side must secure victory on Sunday to keep their hopes alive of overtaking their fierce rivals in the final three matches of the season.

Madrid were left licking their wounds after a Champions League quarter-final thrashing by Arsenal, and coach Ancelotti is poised to depart at the end of the season, but it could yet be with a major trophy in his hands.

Barcelona star Lamine Yamal said he is focussed on being himself and not on comparisons to Lionel Messi, ahead of the Champions League semi-final clash against Inter Milan on Wednesday.

Real Madrid defender Antonio Rudiger apologised Sunday after his red card for throwing an object at the Copa del Rey final referee.

The Catalans, aiming for a quadruple this season, won the first major trophy of Hansi Flick's reign as coach and a record-extending 32nd Spanish cup in dramatic fashion

Real Madrid said complaints made by Copa del Rey final referees against pressure from the club's television channel were 'unacceptable' on Friday, after pulling out of planned pre-match activities.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said striker Kylian Mbappe is poised to return from injury to face rivals Barcelona in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.

 Barcelona put in a clinical display to lift their first trophy in more than a year, having no silverware to show for last season.

Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target before halftime, after French forward Kylian Mbappe put Real in front in the fifth minute. Raphinha grabbed another in the second half while Rodrygo scored for Real.

Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.

LaLiga leaders Real recovered from that setback and are on a five-match winning streak ahead of defending the Super Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but coach Carlo Ancelotti is cautious.

Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo scored second-half goals to help Real to a 3-0 win over Mallorca after Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the other last-four clash.

Flick's tactical approach, featuring an extremely high defensive line, also seemed ripe for Mbappe and Vinicius to pillage with their pace.

"Real Madrid strongly condemns any kind of behaviour involving racism, xenophobia or violence in football and sport, and deeply regrets the insults that a few fans uttered last night in one of the corners of the stadium," said Los Blancos in a statement Sunday.

"We are hurt, it's a tough moment, but I want to thank the fans for their support. We don't have to throw everything away, because there is nothing to throw away," added a downhearted Ancelotti.

The Catalan giants triumphed at the Santiago Bernabeu to snap Madrid's run of 42 matches unbeaten and continue their own revival under the German coach who arrived this summer.

Robert Lewandowski struck twice in two minutes as Barcelona crushed rivals Real Madrid 4-0 on Saturday, inflicting the Spanish champions' first La Liga defeat in over a year.

Defending champions Real Madrid are set to host archrivals Barcelona in a LaLiga game at the Santiago Bernabeu tonight.

Kylian Mbappe's start at Real Madrid has been satisfactory, his performances neither spectacular nor underwhelming, but Saturday's La Liga Clasico offers the French superstar a springboard to kick on from.