Real Madrid vs Barcelona: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview

Oliver Platt

Real Madrid vs Barcelona: TV channel, stream, kick-off time, odds & match preview image

Real Madrid have a 3-1 aggregate lead going into the second leg of the Supercopa de Espana at the Santiago Bernabeu on Wednesday night.

Zinedine Zidane's side secured a convincing victory courtesy of late goals from Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, though Ronaldo was sent off shortly after scoring and has since been handed a five-match ban for pushing the referee.

Ronaldo's ban a positive for Madrid

Madrid will be without their talisman for the return match as a result but are well-placed to reclaim the pre-season cup.

Game Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Date Wednesday, August 16
Time 22:00 BST / 17:00 ET

TV CHANNEL & LIVE STREAM


Lionel Messi Barcelona Supercopa de Espana

In the UK, the match will be available to watch live on television on Sky Sports Football and by stream via Sky Go.

UK TV channel Online stream
Sky Sports Football Sky Go

In the US, the match will be available to watch live on television on ESPN2 and by stream via WatchESPN.

US TV channel Online stream
ESPN2 WatchESPN

SQUAD & TEAM NEWS


Position Real Madrid players
Goalkeepers Navas, Casilla, Yanez
Defenders Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Nacho, Marcelo, Theo
Midfielders Kroos, Modric, Casemiro, Llorente, Asensio, Isco, Kovacic, Ceballos
Forwards Benzema, Bale, Vazquez, Mayoral

In addition to the suspended Ronaldo, Madrid will be without the injured Jesus Vallejo.

They will welcome Luka Modric back into the fold, however, after the Croatian — somewhat bizarrely — served a suspension for a red card received in the 2014 Supercopa.

Potential starting XI: Navas; Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo; Modric, Casemiro, Kroos; Bale, Benzema, Isco.

Position Barcelona players
Goalkeepers Ter Stegen, Cillessen
Defenders Semedo, Pique, Alba, Digne, Vidal, Umtiti, Douglas, Marlon, Vermaelen
Midfielders Rakitic, Busquets, D. Suarez, Arda, Iniesta, Rafinha, Roberto, Gomes, Samper
Forwards L. Suarez, Messi, Deulofeu, Alcacer, Munir

New signing Paulinho will not undergo his medical until Thursday, so he is not available for selection for this match. Otherwise, Barca should have a full complement available.

Potential starting XI: Ter Stegen; Vidal, Pique, Umtiti, Alba; Rakitic, Busquets, D. Suarez; Messi, L. Suarez, Deulofeu.


BETTING & MATCH ODDS


Cristiano Ronaldo Real Madrid Supercopa de Espana

Madrid are 11/8 favourites to win, according to dabblebet, with Barca priced at 17/10 and the draw available at 11/4.

Lionel Messi is the 7/2 favourite to score first, with Karim Benzema and Luis Suarez rated at 9/2. Click here to view dabblebet's full selection of match markets.


GAME PREVIEW


Ivan Rakitic Barcelona Supercopa de Espana

It has been a trying — or "f*cked up", as Lionel Messi more bluntly put it — few days for Barcelona. Their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in the first leg of the Supercopa de Espana was followed by fan ridicule around the puzzling signing of Tottenham flop Paulinho.

Paulinho is a better player than his time at Spurs suggests and has reclaimed his place in Brazil's starting lineup while at Guangzhou Evergrande. And Brazil are winning a lot of matches at the moment.

But if it seemed a stretch to justify the signing as a move to please Neymar, it makes even less sense now he has left. Even if Paulinho does not deserve the storm he currently finds himself in the middle of, is he really an upgrade on what Barca already have?

Ernesto Valverde is not short of midfielders who many would describe as good, but not great, players: there is Arda Turan, Denis Suarez and Andre Gomes, last season's whipping boy.

Paulinho would seem to bloat that mix further without solving the issue of Andres Iniesta's inability to play two games in a week at the peak of his powers.

Madrid, on the other hand, might be described as thin on the ground in certain positions but the quality or potential of just about every player in their squad is undisputed. At this early stage of the season, when their depth is not really tested, they have asserted their superiority.

Oliver Platt