Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has rejected suggestions that Barcelona will enter Sunday’s El Clásico as clear favourites, insisting that the fierce rivalry remains impossible to predict regardless of the teams’ current form.
Barcelona will host Real Madrid at Spotify Camp Nou on October 25 in the first league meeting between the Spanish giants in the 2026/27 season.
The Catalan club currently sit six points clear at the top of La Liga, but Courtois believes that advantage will mean little once the two sides meet.
Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated fixture, the Belgian goalkeeper said El Clásico matches are traditionally difficult to call.
“Barcelona the favourite in El Clásico? In the end, you never really know until you actually play the match,” Courtois said, according to Fabrizio Romano.
“I think we’re in good shape and feeling confident… it’s 50-50, always.”
The Real Madrid No. 1 acknowledged Barcelona’s impressive start to the campaign but expressed confidence that his side can secure victory away from home.
“They’ve performed very well in La Liga, but I have faith in our team. I believe we can go there and win,” he added.
Courtois also recognised the additional challenge of facing Barcelona at their home ground but maintained that the rivalry tends to level the playing field.
“It’s true that it’s their home ground; playing away always makes for a different kind of match, but I trust our team,” he said.
“For me, even when one side might be in better form than the other, Clásicos are always 50-50.”
The encounter comes at an important stage of the title race, with Barcelona holding a six-point advantage over their rivals.
A Real Madrid victory would significantly reduce the gap and provide a major boost to their title challenge, while another win for Barcelona would strengthen their position at the summit.
For Courtois, however, the league table and recent results are unlikely to determine the outcome once the two sides take to the pitch.
The goalkeeper’s confidence underlines the enduring unpredictability of one of world football’s biggest fixtures, where rivalry, pressure and individual quality can quickly overshadow the form book.
