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#3 Lack of attacking thrust
Only one B remains of the famed BBC triumvirate. We are of course talking about Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo, the famed attacking trio that won Zidane and Real Madrid the UEFA Champions League countless times and set the La Liga on fire.
While Karim Benzema still remains a potent threat, Real Madrid are still to replace the other two maestros. Eden Hazard has been a huge flop show so far, and Luka Jovic might have got his last chance to lead the line for Real Madrid when the latter did so against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Other Real Madrid attackers like Vinicius Jr. and Marco Asensio have skills and potential galore, but they are yet to fill the big shoes of their illustrious predecessors that took Real Madrid to the summit of the game.
The Merengues began their La Liga title defence with a goalless draw against Real Sociedad and have only found the back of the net six times in five league games so far, a worrying trend that began last season itself.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have looked good at the back this season, only letting in two goals in the league so far. Even with good service from Toni Kroos and Luka Modric, Real Madrid might struggle to score against their biggest rivals if the current trends continue.
#4 Zinedine Zidane looks bereft of ideas
It might be hard to believe for many, but one of the best coaches in world football, the one who took Real Madrid to multiple UEFA Champions League trophies, the one who resurrected their fortunes after taking charge of the club for a second time, looks to be bereft of freshness this season.
Often, Real Madrid have looked lost when on the ball and are suffering from a lack of innovation in attack as well. Though Zinedine Zidane has both shouldered the blame for the losses and said that he could turn around the club's fortunes once more, it seems quite improbable that he could do it by Saturday against the club's biggest rivals.
#1 Barcelona look the better team than Real Madrid at the moment
Not many gave him a chance when he took over the mutinous and ruinous mess that was Barcelona this season, but Ronald Koeman has masterminded a mini-turnaround at the club. Koeman has even got the previously reluctant Lionel Messi playing the way the diminutive Argentine normally does: brilliantly.
Barcelona have looked great going forward, having netted eight times in the league already from four games while looking pretty solid at the back.
The loss to Getafe was a blip, but Messi and Co., who roared back into form with a 5-1 mauling of Ferencvaros, definitely arrive in this game in a more confident frame of mind than that of the Los Blancos.
