Both teams are expected to field three midfielders in the match and whereas the front three from both the teams might ultimately bag all the headlines, the players playing in the centre of the park have big roles to play. Here we take a look at some of the battles which we can expect in the middle of the park as well as some individuals who might have positive or adverse effects on the match.
Toni Kroos a liability?
The former Bayern Munich man is one of the most elegant midfielders in the world of football but his overall game as well as work ethic can at times be a source of concern. The German international can make defence splitting passes and hardly ever loses possession, however he is rarely seen tracking back or pressing high, attributes which are required in the modern game. Kroos' lack of urgency has hurt his team on a number of occasions this season and his lethargic reactions leave a lot of spaces for the opposition to exploit.
However when playing alongside midfielders who are aware of their defensive responsibilities, Kroos seems more at ease but he has struggled recently especially in the absence of Luka Modric and will be delighted with the Croatian returning to the side.
Messi as an extra midfielder
Luis Suarez's arrival has seen Messi switched to the right side of the front three, however this has not stopped him ] operating from the middle. The mercurial forward is often seen darting his way to the middle of the park and caused a lot of panic when he did so in the match against Man City last time out, humiliating a number of opposition players throughout the course of the match..jpg?q=75&w=634)
This will pose an extra threat to Real Madrid who have already been struggling in the midfield and Messi's addition will make their task a lot more difficult.
The Modric factor
He is arguably one of the most efficient and consistent players in the Real Madrid set up and Carlo Ancelotti will be delighted to have him available for the match against Barcelona. In the absence of Modric, the lack of fluidity in Real Madrid's game has been very evident.
The Croatian possesses excellent technical skills, this coupled with his passing range, work ethic and awareness of defensive responsibilities make him a very important player for the team. Modric's presence also seemingly brings the best out of Gareth Bale who scored a brace last time out against Levante, with Modric involved in both the moves leading to the goal.
With Modric in the side, Bale has scored five goals from 11 games this season and without him it has taken him 16 matches to score the same amount of goals. On Sunday, the Madrid faithful will be hoping that the Croatian can once against have a positive effect on Gareth Bale's performance.
The defensive midfielders
With Sergio Busquets a major doubt for the match, Javier Mascherano is once again likely to start just infront of the Barcelona back four, a job he mostly does with aplomb. The Argentine is a very effective play breaker and even though he has been largely used as a centre back, he has been very efficient in the midfield when called upon. He couples that with decent passing abilities having completed 91% of the passes he has made in La Liga this season.
Real Madrid on the other hand lack a top defensive midfielder in their squad. Whereas the likes of Isco and Luka Modric do adhere to their defensive responsibilities they are not out and out defensive midfielders. Madrid do have the likes of Lucas Silva and Illarramendi in the squad but they are both too inexperienced to be fielded for the important match. This is one area Luis Enrique and Barcelona will definitely be looking to exploit, with Barcelona's midfield easily one of their strongest areas.
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