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El Clásico - an encounter that attracts interest from every fan, no matter who they support. The meeting between Real Madrid and Barcelona is widely considered the biggest in football and this weekend’s installment promises to prove why. Naturally, we at WhoScored.com are excited about Saturday’s clash, and here we highlight the key issues ahead of the fixture.
Luis Suarez’s long-awaited return to competitive football
Since his punishment was announced, Barcelona fans have been eagerly anticipating the end of Luis Suarez's ban. The Uruguayan, suspended from competitive football for four months after biting Giorgio Chiellini at the 2014 World Cup, has only made a handful of friendly appearances since joining from Liverpool and El Clásico will be the first time Suarez is available for selection to new head coach Luis Enrique, who has confirmed the summer arrival will play some role in Saturday's fixture. Much has been made of how potent Barcelona’s attack will be upon his return, though questions still remain as to whether Suarez will start or not.
A lack of match fitness may play a part in whether Enrique opts to use the 27-year-old from the off. However, with Pedro misfiring and youngster Munir failing to impress of late, Suarez could start at the Bernabeu, in what could be considered a baptism of fire. Suarez, though, feeds off the vitriol of supporters, which could spur him on to add to the 12 league goals he has already scored in 2014.
Real Madrid's centre-back pairing
Sergio Ramos missed Real Madrid’s 3-0 midweek Champions League win over Liverpool with a calf injury, though reports in Spain suggest the Spaniard will be available for selection this weekend. If that is the case, Carlo Ancelotti may be tempted to partner his first choice pair of Ramos and Pepe at centre-back. That, though, would be all too harsh on young Raphaël Varane, who excelled in Ramos’ absence at Anfield on Wednesday night.
After a fine performance in the Champions League, Varane deserves to retain his starting spot this weekend. Ramos will feature if fit, but he has a tendency to make rash decisions in big games such as El Clásico - a red card in last season’s edition at the Bernabeu a case in point. Alongside the ill-disciplined Pepe, the chances of either he or Ramos receiving their marching orders is high.
Varane, despite his age, is mature enough to remain calm in big game situations. The 21-year-old was arguably France's stand out centre-back at the 2014 World Cup and was selected to partner Ramos in the Champions League final against Atlético Madrid last season, so boasts the big game experience to handle the pressure of a Clásico. Ancelotti has a decision to make at the heart of his backline, but it may be wise to bring Ramos in alongside Varane, relegating Pepe to the bench in the process.
Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s midfield
In front of Madrid's back four, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos are expected to continue their central midfield partnership on Saturday in Ancelotti’s 4-4-2 formation. Neither are defensive midfielders by trade, so the duo must remain disciplined if they are to stop Barcelona star Lionel Messi from running the show.
No player has registered more assists than Messi (7) in Europe's top 5 leagues this season, while the diminutive attacker has played the most key passes (28) in Spain’s top tier this term. With 7 league goals also to his name, Messi can wreak havoc on any defence in world football and Modric and Kroos will need to remain focused if they are to limit the 27-year-old's impact.
Messi has won the most WhoScored man of the match awards (6) in Europe’s top 5 leagues this season and Madrid's central midfield pairing will have to work hard to ensure he does not add to this on Saturday.
Isco can cover the loss of Gareth Bale
If Cristiano Ronaldo was ruled out of El Clásico, the Portuguese’s absence would be headline news. However, with Gareth Bale expected to sit out the tie, fans are not worried at the world’s most expensive player missing the welcome of Barcelona. This is due to the form of stand-in Isco.
Signed from Malaga last summer, Isco has not been handed a fair crack of the whip at the Bernabeu, but Bale’s injury means the Spaniard is set to start on the left side of midfield, as he did against Liverpool and Levante last week. His performance at Anfield earned him a WhoScored rating of 8.46, with only 3 players scoring higher. Isco was a constant attacking threat in the encounter, moving the ball about at speed and successfully completing 5 dribbles, with no player completing more.
The defensive side of Isco’s game could be an even greater aid for Madrid on Saturday. The midfielder will come up against Dani Alves when Barcelona come to the Bernabeu. Alves has made his name as one of the best attacking full-backs in the modern game and will push forward at any given opportunity once again. Against Isco, however, the Brazilian may find it difficult to influence the encounter. Despite his limited playing time in La Liga at the Bernabeu, Isco is making tackles more frequently at home this season (1 every 23.5 minutes) than last (1 every 48.8 minutes) and his defensive contribution could swing the tie in Madrid's favour.
Sergio Busquets’ return could not be more timely
Sergio Busquets missed Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Eibar last weekend and the midweek 3-1 victory against Ajax, with Javier Mascherano moving into midfield and Gerard Piqué starting both games at the heart of defence. Piqué was shaky in both encounters, and Busquets’ expected return this weekend should allow Mascherano to resume his centre-back partnership with Jeremy Mathieu.
Busquets is an integral member of the Barcelona starting XI, effectively breaking up play and bringing teammates into it. Having averaged 3.7 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per league game this season, the defensive qualities of his game will be paramount to limiting the creative influence of the Madrid midfield, in particular that of Isco and James Rodríguez.
With a 92.2% pass success rate and an average of 5.9 accurate long balls per Liga match, Busquets’ impact in the middle of the park cannot be called into question. If he is available for Enrique, it will be a huge boost to the Blaugrana as they aim to maintain their unbeaten start to the campaign.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Without question, the best player in the world at present. WhoScored’s highest rated player (9.08) and the top goalscorer in Europe’s top 5 leagues (15), Cristiano Ronaldo has the ability to swing any match in Madrid’s favour in the blink of an eye. The Portuguese opened the scoring on Wednesday night against Liverpool and has netted in each of his last 10 Madrid appearances in all competitions.
Ronaldo has bagged 5 league goals against Barcelona since moving to Madrid in 2008 and the onus will be on him to drag Los Blancos to victory this weekend. That, though, is easier said than done. Barcelona are the only team in Europe’s top 5 leagues yet to concede a goal this season, with Claudio Bravo yet to pick the ball out of his own net in 741 minutes of Liga action, a record that spans back to the last game of last season.
If anyone can end that record, however, it is Ronaldo. The 29-year-old is at the peak of his powers and, in front of the Madrid faithful, can add to his impressive goal tally in Saturday’s Clásico.
