Barcelona take on Real Madrid in a pre-season Clasico friendly in Las Vegas on Saturday that promises to offer a glimpse into the future of the Spanish giants’ iconic rivalry. The gaudy gambling capital in the Nevada desert is more commonly associated with hosting blockbuster heavyweight boxing contests than clashes between members of European football’s aristocracy. But for one night at least, just a stone’s throw from the shimmering neon lights of the Vegas Strip, the beautiful game will take top billing as Barca and Real face off at the 65,000-capacity Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders NFL team. 

The friendly looks set to provide a taste of what the next chapter of Barcelona and Real Madrid’s rivalry may look like. With the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo long gone from Barcelona and Real respectively, a slew of new signings will be in the spotlight when the two teams take to the field for a game that kicks off at 8pm local time (0300 GMT Sunday).