Marc Cucurela is expected to be one of El Classicos’ protagonists this Sunday, when Real Madrid faces Barcelona in Camp Nou.

The defender, who spent six years at the Barcelona Academy, will return to his former club’s home, but this time with the fans of a lifelong rival.

Cucurella has not played a single official match with Barcelona’s first team in Camp Nou, however, his past in La Massia may not save him from the reaction of local fans.

He had debuted with the first Catalunians team under the direction of Ernesto Valverde, who gave him eight minutes of play at a King’s Cup match against Murcias. However, the coach still did not consider it ready for the first team and preferred Juan Miranda as an alternative to Jordi Alban.

The Spanish defender has three times visited Camp Nou as an opponent, twice with Getafen and once with Eibari, but in all cases he has been lost.

Last summer, Cucurela had considered the possibility of a return to La League. Barcelona would consider his transfer in the event of Alejandro Baldes’s departure, but without a concrete offer from the Catalonians, he also contacted Atletico Madrid.

Finally, Jose Mourinho convinced him to join the Real Madrid project, a decision that prompted criticism from some Barcelona fans because of his past at the club academy.

In addition to the atmosphere awaiting it in the tribuna, Cucurella will have a difficult task on the field, as Lamine Yamali is expected to face. The duel between them can be one of El Clásico’s interesting encounters in a match where rivalry is expected to be great. /Telegrafi/