Previews
SAT 22.04.2017
Team News:
- Real Madrid: Pepe and Raphael Varane (both injured).
- FC Barcelona: Aleix Vidal, Rafinha and Arda Turan (all injured); Neymar (suspended).
Match Facts:
Real Madrid (1st, 75 pts):
- The stage is set for the latest instalment of the LaLiga Clasico between these eternal enemies. There was excitement aplenty in the sides' first tussle of the campaign, which ended in a 1-1 stalemate following Sergio Ramos's last-gasp equaliser. Los Blancos currently hold a three-point advantage at the summit with a game in hand and the hosts will be looking to take a massive step towards clinching the title here. Should Zinedine Zidane's troops manage to get anything from this one it would extend their unbeaten streak in encounters with their bitter rivals to three games.
- Cristiano Ronaldo is very much the main man right now at Real Madrid. After notching a hat-trick in the Champions League quarter-final victory over Bayern Munich this week, the Portuguese forward comes into the game in scintillating form. What's more, he would seem to rather relish the prospect of coming up against Barça at the Bernabeu, having breached the Catalans' backline on five occasions in the sides' last 12 meetings on Madrid's patch.
- This Bernabeu showdown looks set to have a massive bearing on the LaLiga Santander title race. Speaking in the build-up, Zidane insisted, "We've got seven cup finals ahead of us, the first of which is tomorrow." The French boss went on to refer to the pressure surrounding the fixture, whilst revealing that he anticipates it to be a hard-fought encounter: "There are no favourites in this one. It's a game in which you simply have to work hard and battle."
Barcelona (2nd, 72 pts):
- The Azulgranas, who were dumped out of the Champions League in midweek, will take comfort from the outcome of their last trip to the Bernabeu, in which they unceremoniously put the Madrilenians to the sword in a 4-0 romp. If his side emerge victorious tomorrow, Luis Enrique will become the second Barcelona coach to have overseen back-to-back LaLiga Clasico triumphs behind enemy lines since Pep Guardiola led his charges to a 6-2 win in the 2008/09 campaign, a result which was followed by a 2-0 success a year later.
- Lionel Messi has been a regular difference-maker for the Catalan giants this term. The Argentine ace lays claim to being the player to have earned the highest number of points for his side in the division, with his 29 goals having secured no less than 17 points.
- The Asturian tactician is in little doubt as to where his side's focus must lie against Madrid: "We'll have to be faithful to our playing style and be effective." Enrique also noted the significance of the clash as the title race reaches its conclusion: "In view of how close we are to the end of the season, this round of fixtures is crucial."
Getting to the Santiago Bernabeu
Address: Avenida de Concha Espina 1, 28036, Madrid.
Metro: Line 10 (Santiago Bernabeu).
Bus: 14, 27, 40, 43, 120, 126, 147 and 150.
Stadium location here.
Time: 20:45 CET
Stadium: Santiago Bernabeu
Referee: Hernandez Hernandez, Alejandro Jose
TV: Watch the game in your country.
Hashtag:#ElClasico
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