The international break, which will last from September 21 to October 6, will see Real Madrid and Barcelona face a major challenge in terms of squad depth. Real Madrid will have only 7 players available during the break, while Barcelona will have 17 players absent. This is due to the fact that many of their players have been called up to their national teams for various international fixtures.
Real Madrid will be without 15 players, including Kylian Mbappé, Eduardo Camavinga, and Ibrahima Konaté, who have been called up to the French national team. Other players such as Jude Bellingham and Trent Alexander-Arnold have been called up to the English national team, while Bernardo Silva will be representing Portugal. The list of absent players also includes Vinicius and Endrick, who have been called up to the Brazilian national team.
Barcelona, on the other hand, will be without 17 players, including Luis de la Fuente's seven selections for the Spanish national team. Other players such as Karim Adeyemi, Joao Cancelo, and Raphinha have also been called up to their respective national teams. The list of absent players also includes Dominik Livakovic, who will be representing Croatia.
The international break will be a significant test for both Real Madrid and Barcelona, who will have to rely on their remaining players to get through the period. The teams will return to action on October 10, when Real Madrid will face Villarreal at the Santiago Bernabéu.