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The good news for neutrals is that there are no major absences. For Real Madrid, defender Ricardo Carvalho is a doubt. Meanwhile, Eric Abidal, David Villa and Andreu Fontas are the three men on Barcelona’s list of excluded players. Fresh reports indicate that Alexis Sanchez is doubtful but the former Udinese striker may shake off his injury worries in time to play in El Clasico. 

Match analysis - What is at stake

Los Blancos and the Catalans will have their best players fit. However, we may not witness a game of high tension as both teams have scores to settle in the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League.

Chelsea’s Didier Drogba condemned Barca to a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night. Subsequently, Pep Guardiola and his men are contemplating nothing less than a 2-0 margin victory in the return leg of their European tie.

This big task will require Barcelona to be in good form next Tuesday. While reaching the UEFA Champions League final is a priority for the Blaugrana, giving up on the hunt for La Liga title is not an option. Barca have come a long way reducing the gap against Real Madrid from 10 to 4 points.

Victory in El Clasico on Saturday will see them clinch 84 points. Although they would still remain behind Los Blancos, stealing maximum points would give Barcelona the psychological advantage. Losing could mean game over in the title race.

In truth, Pep Guardiola’s dilemma is huge. He has a squad of players to reanimate following the midweek defeat to Chelsea in Europe. In addition, Pep has three points to secure at all cost before the league title dream becomes an illusion. The coach also has injury fears to overcome ahead of next week’s crucial second leg match against the Blues.

Unfortunately for Real Madrid, taking full advantage of Guardiola’s headache will be a hard task to achieve. It happens to be so because the Spanish giants find themselves in position similar to Barcelona’s in the UEFA Champions League. Like the Blaugrana, they also lost by a 1-goal margin away from home earlier in the week.

Both Barca and Madrid have tables to overturn in Europe and both are chasing the 2011/12 Spanish Primera Division crown. The good thing for Los Blancos is that they seat on top of the reigning league champions. It means that they can afford to draw on Saturday night and still go on to win La Liga by securing enough points in the last 4 fixtures. However, the prospect of a draw at the Camp Nou is much easier said than done.

Besides, Sevilla and Athletic Bilbao are potentially dangerous and could embarrass Los Blancos on Week 35 and Week 36 respectively. Meanwhile, Barcelona are poised to defeat, if not slaughter, Rayo Vallecano, Malaga, Espanyol and Real Betis in the games that will follow El Clasico.

In fact, Pep Guardiola is not the only man with problems to resolve. His opposite number, Jose Mourinho, has demons to cast. The Portuguese man may manage to offer La Liga title to Real Madrid but he will not quench the fans’ thirst for revenge and pride if he fails to deliver at the Camp Nou on Saturday night.

A routine defeat for Real Madrid against Guardiola’s men would not only increase the pressure at the very top of the league table but also destroy the Merengues' momentum ahead of the final-like match against Bayern Munich in the Champions League next Wednesday.

Analytically, El Clasico on April 21 is a must-win match for both Barcelona and Real Madrid. However, playing good football will not be a priority. Saturday’s showdown at the Camp Nou might just be this sort of game where style will not count. The smartest and luckiest team will certainly prevail.

Game plan

Jose Mourinho has transformed Real Madrid into an ultra-attacking side. The 107-goal tally proves this fact. For once in over 40 matches in all competitions, the Special One may permit himself to use negative tactics.

The public (including Madridistas) hates to see Los Blancos playing negative football against Barcelona but Mourinho has little choice. Trying to play attacking football against the Catalans could mean suicide.

Mourinho has not won anything yet for the Spanish giants this season. That said, the Portuguese coach may opt for 90 minutes of boring football if this is what will win Real Madrid La Liga. Cristiano Ronaldo might be asked to track back and defend when necessary. Angel di Maria, Karim Benzema and Esteban Granero are poised to start ahead of Mesut Ozil, Gonzalo Higuain and Kaka respectively.

Meanwhile, Barcelona are likely to play with a 4-3-3 formation with Sergio Busquets in the middle of the park and Pedro in the First XI. To avoid fatigue, the hosts will probably try to keep the ball to themselves, force a slow pace and pounce on their rivals at the slightest opportunity.

Barca will be at the Camp Nou so the support of the home crowd should help them play with their minds when their legs get tired. Lionel Messi might try to make up for his average performance against Chelsea in midweek. After missing so many chances at Stamford Bridge, Guardiola might ask his team to use Saturday’s Clasico as a shooting practice session ahead of their must-win Champions League second leg game at home to Chelsea.

Probable Barcelona line-up: Valdes; Adriano, Pique, Mascherano, Adriano; Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta; Pedro, Messi, Sanchez.

Probable Real Madrid line-up: Casillas; Arbeloa, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo; Granero, Alonso, Khedira; Di Maria, Benzema; Ronaldo.

Head-to-head

The previous 6 meetings in all competitions between Barcelona and Real Madrid read the following:

Goals: Barcelona 13-9 Real Madrid
Yellow cards: Barcelona 14-28 Real Madrid
Red cards: Barcelona 1-3 Real Madrid
Wins: Barcelona 3-0 Real Madrid
Draws: Barcelona 3-3 Real Madrid
Defeats: Barcelona 0-3 Real Madrid

Relevant facts

1) Barcelona have no man in the 30 most indisciplined players chart.

2) Sergio Ramos has picked up 10 yellow cards and 1 red card in La Liga.

3) The top 5 places in the top assists table are currently occupied by Barcelona and Real Madrid players. Mesut Ozil (15) leads the assists chart while team mate Angel Di Maria (14) is second. Lionel Messi (13) is third, Cristiano Ronaldo (11) is fourth and defender Dani Alves (10) is fifth.

4) Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are joint top scorers in La Liga with 41 goals each.

5) Barcelona are unbeaten at the Camp Nou in La Liga, having won 15 matches and drawn 1.

6) Real Madrid are 1 goal away from being the team to score the most goals in a single league campaign.

7) Barcelona have the best defensive record on home soil having conceded only 8 goals at the Camp Nou thus far in La Liga.

8) Real Madrid have claimed victory in 12 of their last 13 games away from home in La Liga.

9) Real Madrid have not beaten Barcelona in the Spanish Primera Division since their 4-1 triumph at the end of the 2007/08 season.

10) Barcelona have not tasted defeat against Real Madrid in the last 7 meetings in all competitions.

Barcelona-Real Madrid title race: La Liga table ahead of El Clasico on Saturday, April 2012

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