Matchday 13 - Featured Preview: Barcelona vs Real Madrid

Parliamentary elections in Catalonia were scheduled on the same weekend as the Gran Clasico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou so, for security reasons, the LFP decided to move the game to a Monday night. Criticism of this decision has been widespread, but it will not take the gloss off what is undoubtedly the calendar highlight of the league season. With twelve games played, one point separates Real and Barca in 1st and 2nd place respectively and, with both teams dropping fewer points than ever, this match could have a genuine influence on the outcome of the title race. The two Spanish giants have an unfair advantage over their domestic and European rivals due to a financial disparity in the distribution of La Liga's television rights and, technically speaking, that has turned Barcelona and Real Madrid into the supreme clubs in world football.   

BARCELONA

Player to Watch: Lionel Messi

Barcelona warmed up for the biggest game of the season so far with a 0-3 win over Panathinaikos in the Champions League. That win in Athens guarantees Barca's place in the last 16 of the Champions League and they will be seeded in December's draw as group winners. The blaugrana have won their last five matches in all competitions and their last six in La Liga so they arrive at Monday's decisive clash with Real Madrid in excellent form. Last season they beat Real 1-0 at home in the league thanks to a goal from substitute Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who is no longer with the club.

Lionel Messi will be the centre of atention this time around and; the current FIFA World Player of the Year has scored in the last nine matches he has appeared in and he has a very good record against Real Madrid, with nearly a goal a game against Los Merengues. He has never scored, however, against a Jose Mourinho-led team and that is a statistic he will be looking to change on Monday night. Pep Guardiola's side will effectively be at full strength because only support centre back Gabi Milito is currently injured. Jose Manuel Pinto will return to the bench after a European ban kept him out in midweek and Jeffren is fit enough to be named in the squad. Messi will be the main danger man in the front three alongside David Villa, who is new to the Clasico experience, and Pedro Rodriguez, who is starting to find some goal scoring form after a slow start to the 2010-11 campaign. Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergi Busquets are expected to line up in a midfield three, with the latter coming in to replace Argentina captain Javier Mascherano, who played in Denmark. Mascherano will be fighting tooth and nail for a starting role, however, and, along with the left back slot, the defensive midfield role will probably be the most hotly contended of all the positions. Maxwell and Eric Abidal are competing to play next to Gerard Pique, Carles Puyol and Dani Alves in front of Victor Valdes; I expect the defensive strengths and speed of Frenchman Abidal will prove decisive in Guardiola's final decision. Maxwell offers more going forward but, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel di Maria pressing down the wings, Abidal would be the more conservative option.

Possible starting XI: (4-3-3) Victor Valdes; Eric Abidal, Carles Puyol, Gerard Pique, Dani Alves; Sergio Busquets, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta; Lionel Messi, Pedro Rodriguez, David Villa;

REAL MADRID

Player to Watch: Cristiano Ronaldo

Real Madrid could not be in better form heading into this crunch encounter with Barcelona at the Camp Nou. Apart from being unbeaten so far this season under Jose Mourinho, Los Merengues have also won seven consecutive league games and scored a whopping twenty-seven goals during that run. They warmed up for the trip to Catalonia with a 0-4 away drubbing of Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League to confirm their position as group winners and ensure a seeded spot in next month's last 16 draw. Madrid would probably be out and out favourites against any team in the world at the moment with the exception of Barcelona, who are in just as devastating form. This fixture stands head an shoulders above its foreign equivalents as the biggest club game in world football and, with Real revived under Jose Mourinho, it will be the most eagerly anticipated Clasico clash in years.

Ezequiel Garay, Fernando Gago and, most notably, Kaka, will sit it out because of long running injury problems. Ricardo Carvalho, Gonzalo Higuain and Sami Khedira sat out the Champions League win on Tuesday due to niggling problems but Mourinho is hoping to have all of them available by Monday. Portuguese defender Carvalho is back in full training and will line up next to Pepe, Sergio Ramos and Marcelo in the back four. Higuain and Khedira are more of a concern as their return to training has been delayed slightly, but they are expected to take their places in holding midfield and attack respectively; Lassana Diarra and Karim Benzema will be working intensely just in case. There have been rumours in the press that Mourinho will change the habitual 4-2-3-1 formation to play with three defensive midfielders, as he did with Inter Milan against Barcelona in the Champions League last season, but that would mean a new set of instructions and the inevitable gamble that goes with it. In that case, either Angel di Maria or Mesut Ozil would have to make way for Lass. Real's team has picked itself so far, and a repeat of the regular eleven in the 4-2-3-1 is still the most likely option.

Possible starting XI: (4-2-3-1) Iker Casillas; Marcelo, Pepe, Ricardo Carvalho, Sergio Ramos; Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso; Mesut Ozil, Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel di Maria; Gonzalo Higuain;