Tchouameni gets Clasico nod for Madrid after run-in with Valverde

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Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni starts the Clasico at Barcelona on Sunday despite his midweek row with team-mate Federico Valverde.

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Both players were fined by the Spanish giants after clashing on Thursday at Madrid’s training complex, with Valverde treated in hospital for a head injury that has sidelined him for up to a fortnight.

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Barcelona are aiming to clinch back-to-back Spanish titles and can do so by avoiding defeat at Camp Nou against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side.

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Coach Hansi Flick, whose father died ahead of the game, selected Eric Garcia at right-back over Jules Kounde and Ferran Torres up front in place of Robert Lewandowski.

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The German coach’s team lead Real Madrid by 11 points with four matches remaining and can secure the trophy if they avoid defeat by Los Blancos at Camp Nou on Sunday.

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If Barcelona win their last four league games this season, starting with the battle against Alvaro Arbeloa’s fracturing Madrid in Catalonia, they will match the all-time league record of 100 points.

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Should Barca beat Madrid and then Real Betis the following weekend, they will become the first team to win all their home matches in a 38-game La Liga season.

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The tension around Madrid after a season in which they will finish without a trophy for just the fifth time this century burst to the surface in extraordinary fashion this week.

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AFP

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