Yamal and Mbappé face off in clasico one day before Ballon d'Or winner is revealed

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are both hoping to win the Ballon d'Or on Monday night when they are expected to attend the gala in London for the most prestigious individual award in soccer.

But just a day before, the two stars aim to shine in a head-to-head battle in Barcelona.

Mbappé's Real Madrid visits Yamal's Barcelona trailing the two-time defending La Liga champions already by six points after nine rounds. So the pressure is on Madrid — in third place behind Atletico Madrid — to at least not fall further behind.

Even though voting by journalists for the Ballon d'Or ended in September, fans have become increasingly focused on the award in the run-up to Monday's ceremony. That makes the clasico an ideal stage for Yamal and Mbappé to make their closing arguments in the court of public opinion. Other top candidates for the award include last year's winner Ousmane Dembélé, Harry Kane and the 39-year-old Lionel Messi.

Yamal is off to stellar start this season after he helped Spain win the World Cup in July, beating Mbappé's France in the semifinals and Messi's Argentina in the final. The 19-year-old has 10 goals and 10 assists across La Liga and Champions League, plus another four goals for Spain, already this campaign.

Mbappé, meanwhile, is as ruthless as ever in front of the net. The striker has 12 goals in as many games and, along with goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, he is keeping an otherwise erratic Madrid in touching distance of Barcelona.

Here is what else you need to know about the big game:

Hate is a strong word, even in soccer. But if anyone is extremely disliked by Barcelona fans it is José Mourinho, who started a second stint with Madrid this season.

In his first period at Madrid from 2010-13, the Portuguese coach took the rivalry between Spain’s biggest clubs to new heights thanks to his team's tough tactics and his own verbal jousting with counterpart Pep Guardiola.

Mourinho even got physical himself, infamously poking then assistant coach Tito Vilanova in the eye during a scuffle between the sides.

All that means to expect even more jeers than usual when Real Madrid takes the field on Sunday.

Barcelona had won all 11 games it had played this campaign until it ran into a rampant Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday. Two late goals by the European champions condemned Barcelona to a 4-2 defeat despite another superb goal by Yamal.

Otherwise, it has been a series of intimidating performances by Hansi Flick's side.

Raphinha has 14 goals in his new role as striker, while the team has scored a Europe-leading 50 goals overall, including hitting five or more goals in six games.

Given Mourinho’s preference for attacking on the break with the speed of Mbappé, expect Barcelona to dominate possession and press to score early and often.

The biggest decision of the offseason in Spain was Rodri choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid.

The former Manchester City midfielder was targeted by both clubs, but he picked playing with several of his Spain teammates.

Rodri had started eight games in a row before Flick left him on the bench at PSG until the final half hour.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner should be back in the starting 11 against Madrid alongside Pedri and most likely Fermín López with Dani Olmo injured.

Madrid’s attack will be missing Vinícius Júnior, who will serve the second of a four-game suspension in La LIga for pulling an opponent's hair.

But with Vinícius struggling to find his groove, that might not be such a big blow to Mourinho’s plans.

Nineteen-year-old newcomer Yan Diomande is settling in and has scored in three of Madrid’s last four games while showing similar speed to Vinícius — if not the same incredible dribbling skills — on the left side of the attack.

Madrid’s hopes will also rest on Arda Güler providing moments of playmaking against a more talented Barcelona midfield.

This version of the story is corrected to show that the Ballon d'Or gala is in London this year, not Paris.

See AP’s full soccer coverage here

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring third goal during the La Liga soccer match between Real Madrid and Sevilla in Madrid, Spain, Sunday, Oct. 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappe is in action during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Leipzig in Madrid, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates after scoring his side's opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Real Betis and Barcelona in Seville, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Jose Breton)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal, centre, challenges for the ball with Getafe's Ramon Terrats, right, during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Barcelona and Getafe in Barcelona, Spain, Saturday, Oct. 10, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

PARIS (AP) — Some 70,000 law enforcement officers will be deployed across France on Saturday while the Louvre and several other major Paris museums will be closed as authorities seek to prevent renewed violence during planned protests.

Protests last week devolved into mayhem, with people setting fires, storming public buildings, smashing shop windows, looting and clashing with police. It was France's most violent unrest in years.

Demonstrators plan to take to the streets again Saturday to denounce the high cost of living. Students, members of the CGT labor union and activists from the “ yellow vest ” movement, whose demonstrations against social injustice shook France in 2018 and 2019, are all set to join.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said some 70,000 police officers and gendarmes would be deployed, along with helicopters, armored vehicles and water cannons. In addition, elite police units will help secure public buildings like city halls in a “highly mobile” security operation, he said.

“There have been numerous calls from radical far-left groups on social media to commit acts of violence and vandalism. There have also been renewed calls for looting, with those messages clearly being spread by rioters," Nuñez said at a news conference.

“We will be absolutely uncompromising" with those involved in violence, he added, warning that police will have a “very firm approach to making arrests, and there will be legal consequences.”

In a statement to The Associated Press, the Culture Ministry said the Louvre, the Orsay and Picasso museums as well as the Grand Palais would be closed. The ministry called on all institutions under its authority to adopt any necessary measures to ensure “visitor safety, staff protection and the preservation of artworks,” according to the statement.

After two days when admission was by invitation only, Art Basel Paris opened to the public Friday — but only for the day, with the threat of unrest prompting organizers to cancel the weekend program. One of the world’s most prestigious contemporary art fairs, Art Basel includes exhibitions by 211 international galleries at Paris’ Grand Palais.

"This decision has not been taken lightly, and the safety of everyone involved in the fair remains our utmost priority," organizers said in a statement Thursday.

Saloni Doshi, an art collector who traveled to Paris from India for the fair, grew worried last Saturday as she saw the fires and panicked people, and she received phone calls from friends asking whether Paris was safe. She agreed with the organizers' rationale to close.

Antoine Donzeaud and Elisa Rigoulet, the owners of the gallery exo exo, felt the same.

“We understand this decision, which we consider reasonable and consistent with the urgency of the social demands currently unfolding in France,” they said in a text message.

A demonstration Saturday in the city of Orléans, about 110 kilometers (70 miles) south of Paris, will also be closely watched.

About 50 organizations have called for a protest against the far right on the sidelines of the two-day congress of Marine Le Pen’s nationalist, anti-immigration party ahead of next spring’s presidential election. Organizers include labor unions, left-wing political parties, student organizations and anti-racism groups.

Hugues Moutouh, the prefect of the Loiret region, said that 20,000 to 30,000 demonstrators from across the country were expected.

Le Pen, whom opinion polls place as the front-runner in next year’s election, accused left-wing organizations and political parties of trying to “disrupt a political party’s democratic congress,” on news broadcaster Franceinfo.

Still, she said she had “no concerns” about security because the government had “recognized the need for measures allowing the congress to proceed safely.”

Associated Press writers David Biller and Samuel Petrequin in Paris contributed to this report.

A woman walks past a building with graffiti that reads "The ultra-rich against everyone" and "No justice, no peace. RIP El Hacen" after the weekend protests over the cost of living turned into rioting and looting across France, in Paris, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

Workers board up a storefront on the eve of a demonstration against rising living costs in Paris, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

People enter the Paris' Grand Palais hosting Art Basel art fair Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 after planned anti-government protests prompted organizers to cancel their weekend program. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

People walk past the Paris' Grand Palais hosting Art Basel art fair, Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 after planned anti-government protests prompted organizers to cancel their weekend program. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

Paris' Grand Palais hosting Art Basel art fair is pictured Friday, Oct. 23, 2026 after planned anti-government protests prompted organizers to cancel their weekend program. (AP Photo/Teresa Suarez)

Workers block the entrance of the Louvre museum during a protests against rising living costs, in Paris, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

Workers block the entrance of the Louvre museum during a protests against rising living costs, in Paris, Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)