Sergio Busquets (442) moves joint-third alongside Andres Iniesta (442) in Barcelona's leading La Liga appearance makers, behind only Lionel Messi (520) and Xavi (505).

This is Busquet's 43rd Clasico. Only Paris St-Germain duo Messi and Sergio Ramos (both 45) have played in more.

This should be a good game between two teams in form.

Barcelona are unbeaten in 11 games in all competitions, with eight wins in that time.

They have not lost in La Liga since 4 December.

Real Madrid have won five games in a row in all competitions, losing only once in La Liga since early October.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport in Madrid

Image source, BBC Sport

There were crowds gathering outside the Barcelona team hotel to see their heroes board the team bus and make the short trip to the Bernabeu slightly earlier.

There’ll be a few more waiting for them just down the road, and probably not so welcoming…

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport in Madrid

Earlier this week, I spoke to former Barcelona and Real Madrid striker Javier Saviola, who was a former team-mate of Xavi during their Barca days.

"I'm not surprised about Xavi," he said about the coach's impressive start to life as Barca boss.

"I had him as a team-mate at Barca in my early days, when we had just started, and you could already see that he had the ability to acquire this facet of coaching that is so complicated for everyone.

"He had those tactical coaching habits, always positioning the players he had in front of him in a way that he saw them, that we don't realise, so you could already see things."

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport in Madrid

Image source, BBC Sport

Cristiano Ronaldo might have long moved on but his presence is still felt in the city - from his Ballons d’Or and individual accolades in the Real Madrid trophy room at the Bernabeu, to the Portugal forward’s own brand of gyms dotted around Madrid and the CR7 Pestana hotel on Gran Via.

That, incidentally, is a short “Siuuuu” from a Real Madrid club store, where Vinicius Jr is the new poster boy.

Image source, BBC Sport

This is the first Clasico at the Bernabeu since March 2020.

Real had been playing their home games at their training complex during the time fans were banned from games.

Today's attendance is capped at 60,000.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport in Madrid

Image source, BBC Sport

In the days before El Clasico the cranes and construction vehicles were still hard at work inside and out of the Bernabeu, with renovation set to continue for most of 2022.

Real Madrid hope to have their futuristic-looking plans completed in time to host a match here on 14 December, the same date Los Blancos first appeared at the ground against Portugal’s Beleneses in 1947.

Image source, BBC Sport

Real Madrid are without top scorer Karim Benzema, who has scored 22 goals in 25 La Liga games this season.

The French veteran has a calf injury.

Real winger Vinicius Jr is La Liga's joint second top scorer on 14 goals.

Memphis Depay is Barcelona's top league scorer with 10, but Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has already scored seven goals in all competitions after joining last month.

Alex Bysouth
BBC Sport in Madrid

Image source, BBC Sport

La Liga have really ramped up the sell on El Clasico this week, trying to give it the full “Super Bowl” treatment both in Madrid and through their global marketing.

Everything from hosting an El Clasico party on Saturday night with former players, celebrities and influencers, to putting on a tapas route through the city that takes you on a culinary journey of both clubs and holding several fan events around the capital.

Meanwhile, the Spanish press have been outlining the importance of the Clasico in today’s papers.

Image source, BBC Sport

Real Madrid have won the last five Clasicos in all competitions.

The record for consecutive Clasico wins was Real's seven between April 1962 and February 1965.

Real Madrid are without top scorer Karim Benzema or left-back Ferland Mendy for this one.

They make three changes from the 3-0 win at Mallorca, with Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao and Luka Modric replacing Benzema, Mendy and Lucas Vazquez.

Image source, .

Barcelona make two changes from the team who beat Galatasaray on Thursday.

Ronald Araujo and Ousmane Dembele replace Sergino Dest, who is injured, and Adama Traore.

It's a Clasico debut for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Image source, .

Real Madrid would go 12 (TWELVE) points clear with a win today.

That's because second-placed Sevilla drew 0-0 with sixth-placed Real Sociedad a few minutes ago.

Barcelona would go third with a win.

Image source, .

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo might be gone, Sergio Ramos too - and Luis Suarez.

But there's nothing quite like El Clasico, is there?

Welcome to live text commentary of the most attractive club fixture in the world.