Image source, .

'A question of honour' is the headline on the front page of Madrid-based sports newspaper AS., external

Andy West
Spanish football writer at the Nou Camp

"It has been a strange season for Cristiano Ronaldo. On the one hand, he is La Liga's top scorer with 28 goals in 30 games, so he is hardly struggling.

"But the vast majority of those strikes arrived in batches during heavy victories - four against Celta Vigo (in a 7-1 win); three against Espanyol at home (6-0); five against the same opposition away (6-0 again) - and he has rarely delivered when his team have been up against the wall.

"Ronaldo came in for particular criticism after his anonymous performance in the local derby defeat by Atletico, and he has also regularly struggled away from the Bernabeu, scoring in only two of his last nine away league games."

Read more from Andy West on El Clasico on the BBC Sport website

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane: "I know how things are at this club. The important thing is to win, we all know it. I was here as a player. I know the demands that this job comes with."

Image source, Getty Images

Barcelona manager Luis Enrique: "We’ll try to control the ball. There is only one ball and we’ll try to make it ours. And try to stop them from showing their qualities, because they have no shortage of those.

"My players need to be fully charged for this, but not too much. They need to keep themselves under control. We are playing to hold onto our lead in the league. It doesn’t matter how many points behind Real Madrid might be, we are still two of the best teams on the planet."

Andy West
Spanish football writer at the Nou Camp

"Tonight's game is a great opportunity for Gareth Bale, who has been playing really well in the last few weeks and looks to be poised to establish himself, really for the first time since he arrived in Spain, as equally important for his team as Cristiano Ronaldo."

Image source, Getty Images

Gareth Bale says Real Madrid can still win the La Liga title even though they are 10 points behind opponents Barcelona with seven games left after this.

Barca are unbeaten in 39 league and cup games and are seeking the double over fierce rivals Real, having beaten them 4-0 at the Bernabeu on 21 November.

"I think everything is possible in football," said Bale.

This is Gareth Bale's fifth La Liga Clasico - and the Wales forward is still hunting his first win.

Bale, 26, was injured when Real beat Barca at the Bernabeu last season. Real have lost 2-1, 4-3, 2-1 and 4-0 in the games he has appeared in yet Bale says he has never felt as settled in Spain's capital as he does going into this game.

"I've felt more settled, more involved in the team this year and I think that has shown in performances on the pitch," said the former Tottenham and Southampton player, who has 15 goals in 18 league appearances this season.

Read more from Gareth Bale ahead of El Clasico.

Who would be in your dream strikeforce - and why?

Khan Karn: Suarez (this year) and Brazilian Ronaldo (at his peak at Barca) front two of Cristiano Ronaldo left, Messi right, with Pele in central attacking midfield role... lopsided team.

Christian Brumwell: Barca - With Messi, Ronaldinho and Ronaldo from.... 97?

Phil Dodsworth: In an Ossie Ardiles style formation, my front five are Messi, both Ronaldos, Gerd Muller & John Charles as the target man/defender.

I hope that's not the Ossie Ardiles formation that got Tottenham knocked out of the League Cup at Notts County in 1994, Phil...

Andy West
Spanish football writer

"This El Clasico edition might not make much difference to La Liga title race, but it provides a golden opportunity for one man in particular to significantly boost his reputation and credibility.

"Zinedine Zidane has experienced a decidedly mixed start to his managerial career since taking over from Rafa Benitez at the Bernabeu in January.

"Although his team have recorded several high-scoring home wins and progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals, they have struggled away from home and lost to local rivals Atletico Madrid, surrendering any realistic chance of catching league leaders Barca and underlining the impression that Zidane has a big task on his hands."

Read more of Andy West on El Clasico on the BBC Sport website

Image source, EPA

A lot has changed since Real Madrid and Barcelona first met 114 years ago.

For starters the fixture is no longer played on a field used for horse racing as it was on 13 May 1902 at the Madrid Hippodrome.

Barca, formed just two-and-a-half-years earlier, triumphed 3-1 on a "ridiculously large" pitch on which horse manure was used as fertiliser.

What would Cristiano Ronaldo make of that?

Learn more about the first El Clasico, external

Image source, .

Six players, 132 La Liga goals this season.

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Neymar as well as Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more goals than Manchester United and Liverpool have managed this season.

Barca's first-choice front three have played more regularly - and been more productive - than Real's rival combination in Spain's top-flight this season.

Barcelona will pay tribute Johan Cruyff before and during the game.

Home players will wear shirts with the message "Gracies Johan" - thank you Johan - for their first match since the former Barca player and manager died of cancer aged 68.

A mosaic displaying the same message and involving more than 90,000 fans will also be on display before kick-off in honour of the man who coached the club to their first European Cup triumph in 1992.  

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Will we ever see anyone like Lionel Messi again?

The Argentine stands on the cusp of another remarkable personal milestone.

Should the 28-year-old find the net against Real, it will be his 500th career goal. "That figure is from another galaxy," said Barca boss Luis Enrique on Friday. 

What a fitting scenario should Messi bring up the magic 500 against Real in front of 90,000-plus fans at the Nou Camp.

It's the stuff of fairy tales...

Andy West
Spanish football writer

Image source, Getty Images

"With 10 points separating the teams and only eight games remaining, this is the least significant Clasico in terms of La Liga title race for many years.

"And there has consequently been an unusually restrained build-up in the Spanish media, which has instead been dominated by Spain's international friendlies - disappointing draws with Italy and Romania - and the death of Barca icon Johan Cruyff, who will be saluted before kick-off with fans holding up coloured cards to create an enormous mosaic.

"But it is still a highly significant game - not necessarily for the result on the day but for the balance of power between the teams, especially as they could still meet again this season in the Champions League."

Read more from Andy West on El Clasico

Another El Clasico, another chance to see the best forwards in the world go head to head.

Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Neymar, Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale have scored an incredible 132 La Liga goals between them. Wow.

If you could assemble the strikeforce of your dreams - past and present players - who be in it and why?

Tweet #bbceurofooty,, external text 81111 (UK only) or post a message on the BBC Sport Facebook page., external

Andy West
Spanish football writer at the Nou Camp

Image source, Reuters

"Forty-five minutes before kick off and the first players out to warm up are Real Madrid's goalkeepers. Predictable whistles from the home fans, with the ground roughly a third-full. A bit harsh because Real keeper Keylor Navas must be one of their more likeable players...but don't tell Barca fans that today."

Image source, .

Around 45 minutes to kick-off at a sell-out Nou Camp and this is how the table looks after second-placed Atletico Madrid beat Real Betis 5-1 earlier to reduce Barca's lead to six points.

Luis Enrique's side are 10 points clear of third-placed Real and are seeking to record a second El Clasico La Liga double in three seasons over their bitter rivals having won 4-0 at the Bernabeu in November. 

No pair of teams have been so successful and no other clash brings together the 2015 Ballon d'Or winner, runner-up and third-placed player.

It’s so huge it barely even needs a name—it translates simply to 'The Classic' - and it sees Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo continue their quest to be the best player in the world and the best in history in front of a global television audience of more than 600m people with 184 countries showing the game live.

Image source, Getty Images