Barça's Joao Cancelo's surprising position for the clásico on Saturday

Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández continues to keep his cards close to his chest ahead of this Saturday's clásico. He will not announce the squad until Saturday, pending the number of injured players who may be included.

Xavi doesn't want to give Carlo Ancelotti any clues, but he has tried several things in recent training sessions. One of them has to do with the position of Joao Cancelo, involving also Ronald Araujo. Xavi still thinks that the Uruguayan is the best option to stop Vinicius, as he has shown in almost every game in which the two have faced each other.

That is why he is determined that Araujo will play at right-back when Barça defend, moving Cancelo to the centre of the pitch. The Portuguese will attack as usual, occupying the right flank, but also taking advantage of his versatility to help the centre midfield in the build-up. This, and Araujo keeping an eye on Vinicius, will mean that Cancelo, in defence, will become a false centre-back and be on the lookout for Bellingham, who arrives very well in the opposition box from the back, taking advantage of the fact that Real Madrid are playing without a centre-forward.

The rest of the XI

Cancelo's position would also mean that Oriol Romeu would not start the game and that Gündogan would move into the central midfield position, receiving the help of Cancelo to hold Bellingham. Gavi and Fermín would complete the midfield. Xavi wants to take advantage of the great moment that the player from El Campillo, who was outstanding in the last game against Shakhtar Donetsk, is going through.

The name of the three attackers will depend on Lewandowski's condition. Xavi has already said in a press conference that the Pole has a good feeling and that if he is ready to start, he will. If Lewandowski ends up playing, the Pole and Joao Felix have a fixed place, leaving the right flank for Lamine Yamal or Ferran Torres. If he cannot play, Ferran Torres will be the centre forward and Lamine Yamal will play on the right.