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El Clasico stands out as one of the most gruesome encounters in world football as FC Barcelona and Real Madrid go neck to neck in this promising encounter. The Clasico has been linked with much more than 90 minutes on the field.
The match has a history linked with political and moral issues, which only add to the mix making the Clasico much more than just a match.
The two Spanish giants are set to renew their age-old rivalry in yet another promising Clasico scheduled to be contested on the 23rd of December. Real Madrid host league leaders FC Barcelona at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for their Matchday 17 clash in La Liga.
Barcelona currently enjoy a rather comfortable position on top of the table, six points clear of their nearest contenders and eleven points clear of Madrid, who have played a game less due to commitments in the FIFA Club World Cup.
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Barcelona have a golden opportunity to move fourteen points clear of their eternal rivals and a victory in the Spanish Capital would establish the Catalans as sheer favourites to retain their Spanish crown.
The Catalans travel to the Spanish capital after a 4-0 home rout of Deportivo at the Nou Camp in a game which saw the Catalans strike the woodwork five times, miss one penalty and were also tragically denied yet another goal as Luis Suarez's effort was parried after the ball clearly crossed the line.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the poster boys of the Clasico have both underlined the importance of the upcoming clash and would certainly be required to be on the top of their game to edge out a victory in this promising clash.
"It would be important to win for what it means, it's always a special game." - Messi
Barcelona's Guillermo Amor added to their build-up of the all-important game as he only recently ruled out the possibility of the Catalans giving the Blancos a Guard of Honor, a gesture which Cristiano Ronaldo demanded.
That being said, let's look at 5 key clashes that might shape up the result of the monumental clash:
#5 Sergio Busquets vs Casemiro
The anchors in the midfield and fulcrum to provide fluidity to the attack, Sergio Busquets and Casemiro both have earned their rightful place in the starting lineup of Barcelona and Real Madrid, respectively.
The Spaniard certainly have an upper edge over the Brazilian owing to his experience and flair on the ball but the Brazilian's attacking prowess and an ability to score on set-pieces make him a strong contender to go face to face against The Octopus of Badia.
Busquets has been impressive under Ernesto Valverde, getting more of the ball and has only solidified his partnership with Leo Messi.
The creative midfielder is undoubtedly one of the most crucial elements of the Barcelona system and marking Sergio Busquets would be a daunting task for the Brazilian midfielder.
Busquets has the ability to skill past one or two odd midfielders and provide a killer ball upfront to make a goal out of nothing, whereas Casemiro has the physicality and presence of mind to be at the right place in the right moment for that perfect interception.
Rafa Benitez's failure to calculate the risk posed by Busquets and providing him ample of space to construct offensive moves is regarded as one of the major reasons for Barcelona's 4-0 victory of Real Madrid in 2015, and it acts as a lesson for Zinedine Zidane to lay out his plans perfectly and limit out the threat posed by the Spaniard.
Casemiro's attacking influence would also be crucial in determining the result of the tie.
La Liga 2017 stats comparision:
Passing accuracy: Busquets (90.8%) - Casemiro (87.7%)
Goals: Busquets (1) - Casemiro (3)
Assists: Busquets (2) - Casemiro (0)
#4 Gerard Pique vs Sergio Ramos
The Pique-Ramos rivalry is set to reach its climax in the upcoming La Liga showdown between the two Spanish centre-backs. Teammates in the Spanish National Team, Pique and Ramos share a rather decent relationship off the pitch but they both always have a thing or two to share about their compatriot's club side.
Pique is sure to be invited to a hostile environment at the Bernabeu, which would only add to his task of managing the backline in Samuel Umtiti's absence. Gerard Pique would be joined by Thomas Vermaelen in the heart of the defence. Both the defenders are gifted with a strong physique and a cool head to finish.
Ramos has established himself as a perfect header of the ball although Pique doesn't lag behind himself, and always keeps an eye to score a goal or two against Madrid.
Barcelona have considerably improved while defending from set-pieces and the Pique-Ramos clash during set-pieces on both ends would be a spectacle to witness.
La Liga 2017 stats comparision:
Passing accuracy: Pique (89.8%) - Ramos (90.6%)
Tackles per game: Pique (1.2) - Ramos (1.7)
Interceptions per game: Pique (0.6) - Ramos (2.2)
#3 Jordi Alba vs Marcelo
The all-improved Jordi Alba has developed himself as a world-class full-back under Ernesto Valverde. Ridiculed by Barcelona fans last season, the Spaniard has arguably been benefitted by Neymar's big money departure. Alba now efficiently uses the space down the left to make dangerous overlapping runs into the opposition box.
On the other hand, one of the greatest full-backs to ever play the game, the Brazilian Marcelo has suffered a dip in form lately. While Jordi Alba and Messi's connection is a chief source of Barcelona's offence, the Brazilian's contribution to attack has been rather limited in the new season.
The Brazilian would be required to up his game and deliver those perfect crosses into the Barcelona box if Madrid desires to breach the stubborn and massively improved Barcelona defence.
However, Marcelo has the ability to spark the flanks into life at any moment and will be an ever-present danger for the reinforced Barcelona defence. Real Madrid, too, would have to be careful regarding Alba's contributions to the attack and that deadly partnership he has developed with talismanic forward Leo Messi.
La Liga 2017 stats comparision:
Passing accuracy: Alba (88.4%) - Marcelo (84.9%)
Goals: Alba (1) - Marcelo (1)
Assists: Alba (5) - Marcelo (1)
#2 Marc-Andre ter Stegen vs Keylor Navas
The Battle of the Goalkeepers: From Iker Casillas to Victor Valdes, the Clasicos have featured some of the finest goalkeepers of all time. The German ter Stegen certainly earns the bragging rights to be deemed as the better of the two to face each other in the upcoming event.
Stegen's confidence on the ball and extra-terrestrial passing skills have made him the perfect find for Barcelona, who seek all those qualities in their keepers. Navas, who returns from an injury, has also established himself as one of the finest goalkeepers to play for the Blancos.
The last time these two giants went head-to-head in the league, the Goalkeepers undoubtedly stole the show at the back in a game which recorded 18 saves in total. The German shot-stopper made 12 saves on the night, most notably stopping Toni Kroos' goal-bound effort from distance.
ter Stegen is undoubtedly in the best of his form and has conceded just seven goals in the league this season, adding to just one goal conceded in the Champions League, which makes Barcelona the best defensive side, a rare feat for the Catalans who are known for their ruthless attacking line.
Stegen's abilities and Ernesto Valverde's balanced tactics would be put to a test in the Bernabeu as the epic BBC trio of Real Madrid is set to be reunited and Umtiti's absence due to injury is set to bother the German. On the other hand, Keylor Navas would be keen to make his mark and stop the in-form Leo Messi.
La Liga 2017 stats comparision:
Save percentage: ter Stegen (87%) - Navas (83%)
Clean sheets: ter Stegen (10) - Navas (4)
Goals conceded per game: ter Stegen (0.4) - Navas (0.6)
#1 Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo
No such list is complete without the inclusion of these two, is it? The greatest players on the planet go head-to-head in the Clasico yet again, in search of early bragging rights from silverware.
5 Time Ballon d'Or Winners, the Argentine and the Portuguese forward display what proves to be the most scintillating form of attacking football to millions of followers around the globe, and it is astounding how they manage to deliver the same level of genius day-in and day-out.
The big men have started the new season on different frequencies. While Messi has found his scoring boots in the Spanish League, Ronaldo has been netting goals in the Champions League. Ernesto Valverde's inclusion to the helm has reinstalled Messi as a False 9, and he now happens to create even more chances for his teammates.
On the other hand, Zinedine Zidane has transformed Cristiano Ronaldo into a fox-in-the-box. A predator near the goal, his physicality and supreme finishing skills make Ronaldo a threat on every night.
Messi's tremendous ability and Ronaldo's obsession for perfection would be on display yet again in what promises to be a title-defying clash early in the season.
Cristiano Ronaldo also commented on how important it is for Madrid to steal three points from their rivals. The Catalan main man also commented on the importance of a Clasico and spoke about his feelings about a potential victory in the Spanish Capital.
La Liga 2017 stats comparision:
Goals: Messi (14) - Ronaldo (4)
Assists: Messi (5) - Ronaldo (2)
Big chances created: Messi (14) - Ronaldo (6)
