Barcelona get ready to welcome Real Madrid to Camp Nou this weekend for the most hotly-anticipated fixture in La Liga's diary, and it's shaping up to be a cracking occasion, as ever. Uppermost in everyone's mind is the 4-0 victory Luis Enrique's men managed to conjure in the reverse clash at the Santiago Bernabeu, so there will be a theme of revenge surrounding this one, for sure.
However, the hosts are the undoubted favourites and they should feel confident going into this encounter.
A lot will hinge on how each begins. Start poorly and the opposition will smell blood and go for the jugular, so it's vital that both managers select the right starting XI. With that, let's take a look at who should feature from the get-go and point out why.
Barcelona
Claudio Bravo: We shouldn't see any surprises for Barca's choice of goalkeeper. Bravo is their no.1 'keeper for league matches and he's been doing well so far this campaign.
As ever, he will need to be on the lookout for long-range efforts from Cristiano Ronaldo et al as well as looking to marshall what can sometimes prove a shaky defence, and if he does these to his usually high standards, he'll be tough to beat.
Jordi Alba: Early reports from various sections of the media suggested that Alba was set to miss the weekend's big derby after suffering pain in one of his ankles while on international duty, but ESPN's Dermot Corrigan has since calmed many fears with news that the stampeding left back should be fine to face Madrid at home.
Javier Mascherano: Forming one half of Enrique's first-choice, centreback pairing is Mascherano who survived the international break unscathed. The Argentina international has been a rock at the heart of Blaugrana's defence and will prove crucial in keeping a potentially fluid Madrid attack at bay.
His passion and leadership alone would be a great asset for any side, but his reading of the game is often the springboard for many of Barca's fantastic counter-attacks.
Gerard Pique: The other half of the very important central defensive partnership is obviously Pique. So many purr over the offensive genius of Barca's front three but the 29-year-old is equally as important.
He's a symbol for Catalan independence and his presence for this match means everything to the fans. Of course, his defending can be a little erratic at times, but he has experience and passion – nobody wants to beat Madrid more than him and that will mean a lot.
Dani Alves: Coming off the back of a goal-scoring performance for Brazil against Paraguay in their feisty South American World Cup qualifier, Alves will be content with his own personal display. Showing spirit and fight, his late, late equaliser was a goal of real quality and it underlined his brilliance.
Sergi Roberto wouldn't be a bad shout at right back for Barca but Alves gets the nod for his attacking flair, though they'll hope he doesn't forget his defensive duties.
Andres Iniesta: Madrid fans might not want to remember but the last time these two giants of football faced off, Iniesta pulled out a man-of-the-match performance and was rewarded with a goal and a standing ovation from the majority of Los Blancos fans. His patience, passing and precision will be key for Barca – don't be surprised to see the 31-year-old prove the match winner again.
Sergio Busquets: Despite sitting out Spain's international break with a broken finger, Busquets should feature in El Clasico, having taken part in training. His football lacks the obvious aesthetic quality of some of his team-mates, but he does the necessary jobs very well and is a hugely important cog in the Barca machine.
Ivan Rakitic: Having overcome a calf injury, he took part in training during the week so he's added another boost for the Catalan club. This will be his 99th game for them and he'll also be looking to make it his 79th win. Since joining the club, he has scored 15 times which is more than any other player outside the 'MSN' trio and his creativity will again be hugely important. Will he nab a goal?
Lionel Messi: The decision to donate his boots to charity may well have sparked outrage among many Egyptians during the break, but you can bet his footwear will provide the opposite reaction for Barca fans this weekend. A conjurer of swashbuckling football, the Argentina international will be central to the headlines once more this weekend and should improve on his 22 league goals.
Neymar Jr: He just keeps on getting better and better, and he'll expect to be among the goals when Los Merengues come to town – just like he was the last time they met when he grabbed a goal and an assist. Arguably one of the best strikers in world football right now, the Brazil international has treated us all to some fabulous football this season and alongside his two partners in crime will be almost unstoppable.
Luis Suarez: A triumphant return to international duty with Uruguay saw 29-year-old Suarez by netting in their 2-2 draw with Brazil as well as nabbing an assist. He is a dynamic striker who can either turn a game in one's favour or work against his own team, but the way the maverick Barca man has been performing in recent months, images of him producing some acrobatic finishes are almost premonitory.
Real Madrid
Keylor Navas: To be fair to Navas, he is a rather under-rated shot-stopper. Recently, AS English compiled a great graphic comparing the 29-year-old with the highly spoken of- David De Gea. The stats tell a story of a custodian who has been a reliable last line of defence and although he is right to be wary of MSN, he might just frustrate them for long enough to give his side some hope.
Marcelo: There has been talk of Madrid signing Watford's Miguel Layun in recent times as Zinedine Zidane's men are short on cover in the left back department, but for now they will have to push on with what make-shift back-ups they have.
Undoubtedly, Marcelo has been one of their best attacking threats this season, but he could get found out if he neglects to track back and defend. He’s a Jekyll & Hyde player, but Marcelo is a must if Madrid want to win.
Sergio Ramos: A back injury cut Ramos' Spain sojourn short, but he is expected to be fit in time for this showdown. If he isn't, Nacho ought to take his place. The Madrid captain will have his work cut out arresting the foraging flourishes of Barca's attacks and if he does start he might not even be at 100 percent, and that could be a problem for the visitors.
Sure, they'll need their leader, but at what cost?
Pepe: There's a case to be made for selecting anybody else aside from Pepe for such a gargantuan contest, but it's hard to imagine Zizou going too crazy with a formation uncharacteristically left of field. With five league bookings to his name already this season, he has the propensity for a rash challenge and that could come back to haunt him against some fleet-footed opponents.
That said, he provides mettle and bite – two elements Madrid will need in spades.
Danilo: There really isn't much to split Carvajal and his fellow right back Danilo, but if Zizou really ponders this choice, it's the Brazilian who should get the nod. A superior defender to his team-mate, he isn't afraid of throwing in the odd well-timed challenge and, while he can get forward to whip in teasing crosses, his naturally defensive mentality could be a key strength in nullifying Barca's possession monopoly.
Casemiro: It's anticipated that Casemiro will be plonked in front of the Madrid back four in an effort to cancel out the entrepreneurship of the home side as well as covering the holes vacated by Marcelo. In truth, there is only so much he will be able to do but it's his organisational skills that could prove to play a major part.
Moreover, his individual duels with Iniesta, Busquets and Rakitic will be fascinating to watch. As pointed out by ESPN's Rob Train, alongside Danilo, he has the joint-highest tackles per game ratio.
James Rodriguez: The marginalised player recently vented his frustration for becoming a scapegoat in an interview, which shows how frustrated the Colombia international has been. The Cafeteros captain is unlikely to start, but he certainly should considering the lack of bite that Toni Kroos, in particular, has provided this season.
James can produce the spark of magic necessary to grab a goal, and they need somebody with that ingenuity on the field this weekend who can use the ball efficiently. Zizou should start him just ahead of Casemiro with a view to being a box-to-box midfielder.
Luka Modric: The midfield skirmishes will certainly mean a great deal. The last time these two squared up to each other, Madrid's midfield went missing for large spells and when that happens against Barca, there's always going to be trouble for the opposition.
Time on the ball will be limited for Modric, so he will need to make the most of it when it comes to him. Squawka recently outlined his La Liga season by numbers and it wasn't pretty in terms of goals or assists. Still, he is a game-changer at heart and deserves to start.
Gareth Bale: The Welshman recently eclipsed Gary Lineker as the all-time top British and Irish scorer in Spain's top division so he is sure to be full of confidence. He has netted 13 times in the league since the middle of December so he is certainly in good form.
Zidane will want to get him the ball as often as possible to get at the space that could get neglected by Barca's rampaging full backs. Should be interesting.
Karim Benzema: It's no secret that 'BBC' have been outshone by their attacking trident rivals and Los Blancos’ trio have really been second best. The general consensus is that Madrid’s title surge is already over, so it’s going to be interesting to see just how motivated the team are.
A lot will hinge on how riled-up Benzema is because if he can cause problems for the Barca back four with an early goal and unrelenting energy, his team-mates could join in with some high-pressing action. Casemiro should set the tone in midfield but Benzema ought to follow suit
Cristiano Ronaldo: Rumours of yet another Ronaldo exit have flared up in the build-up to such an iconic match and it won’t be good for his concentration. Combine this with the fans’ outbursts in recent weeks and it’s clear everything is not rosy in Cristiano’s garden.
The best way to silence his critics would be to rattle the net and if anybody can do it, Madrid’s all-time top scorer surely can. Whether or not he’s in the right mindset, time will tell.
