Real Madrid are preparing for the decider of El Clasico with Barcelona in La Liga, to take place on 11/5/2025 at the Santiago Bernabeu, and there has been some unexpected good news for young Turkish star Arda Güler. Coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed during his press conference before the match that Güler will line up the main strike, marking his first start in an El Clasico match. According to Marca, this decision comes as Ancelotti revealed two major stars, Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Jr., who will be absent due to a minor injury. This news has excited Real Madrid and Turkish fans, with a series of articles from @Fenerfans and @halamadridvn praising the 20-year-old’s potential.

In 2023, he joined Real Madrid from Fenerbahçe for €20 million, struggling with injuries and rarely playing under Ancelotti. However, the 2024/2025 season saw his remarkable progress. According to SofaScore, Güler scored 4 goals and made 8 assists in 37 appearances, the highlight of the decisive goal in the 1-0 victory over Getafe and an assist in the 2-3 defeat of Barcelona in the King’s Cup Final. An impressive performance in the King’s Cup match against Deportiva Minera, where he scored 2 goals, convinced Ancelotti to offer him bigger opportunities.

The upcoming match means survival as Real Madrid remain 4 points behind Barcelona in the La Liga standings. “Arda has great technique and vision. He is willing to make a difference,” Ancelotti said in a speech quoted by Hürriyiet. The public midfielder, who supports Güler, Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo, plans to kick from Barcelona’s loose midfield with the task of exploiting space. Barcelona coach Hansi Flick was sarcastic in 9 words: “Not enough to challenge us,” but Güler responded confidently on Instagram: “Wait to see what I do on the field.” According to Fanatik, this answer was muted and heated the atmosphere before the match.

Real Madrid fans are expecting Guler to recreate the form that saw him hailed by Toni Kroos as an “extraordinary talent” with a “perfect left-footed shot”. Meanwhile, Barcelona are worried about the absence of Gavi due to injury, despite Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal being in top form. The Clasico match is not only for Guler to assert himself, but also a turning point in the La Liga Championship race. With the support of 80,000 fans at the Bernabeu and the belief of Ancelotti, Guler faces a career-defining moment, ready to turn criticism into motivation to shine.