Guti challenges Barcelona ahead of the Clásico

Guti has reignited the debate around Barcelona with provocative comments about the Champions League, just days before the season’s first Clásico de Liga. Barcelona are due to host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, in a match expected to prompt plenty of discussion.

The Catalan side will enter the game top of the table, six points clear of fourth-placed Real Madrid, with a goal difference of +16. Those figures, however, have not persuaded Guti. Speaking on “El Chiringuito,” he said: “It is obvious that Barcelona will not crush Real Madrid.”

The former midfielder then questioned whether Barcelona could go all the way in Europe: “Barcelona have not won the Champions League; let’s see if they are capable of fighting to win it.” He believes the team have yet to face a genuine test this season, having not so far encountered a side of the level of Paris Saint-Germain or Real Madrid.

Guti also noted that Real had won six Champions League titles in recent years, a record he regards as a weakness for Barcelona. He did, however, acknowledge his rival’s strengths: “It is a great team and it has a composure that Real Madrid lack.”

His criticism also extended to how Barcelona’s performances are viewed. “They recruit foreign players and, when they play well and win, they seem better than they really are,” he said. By contrast, Guti praised Real Madrid’s togetherness: “I noticed a strong sense of unity at Real Madrid and, even if they lose three games, they will keep going in the same direction.”

The comments put the league leaders under pressure ahead of the Clásico. Barcelona are being challenged to show that their results make them more than domestic champions—and that they are credible contenders for the European summit, where their age-old rival aims to remain a benchmark.