Barcelona vs Real Madrid Match Preview And Prediction

Barcelona vs Real Madrid Match Preview And Prediction

Barcelona vs Real Madrid Match Preview And Prediction

Barcelona Team News: Barca's Chilean striker Alexis Sanchez is expected to recover from a knock to his thigh and be available, while defender Gerard Pique could return to the defence after sitting out the Champions League semi-final first leg defeat to Chelsea. [caption id="attachment_1368" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Barcelona vs Real Madrid Live Streaming"][/caption]

Pep Guardiola (Barcelona): "Leo Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo feed off each other, they are apart from everyone else. We’re lucky to be afforded the chance to enjoy some great football players. They are decisive players. They score when the team is playing well or when the team is playing poorly.”

Watch Barcelona vs Real Madrid Live Streaming

Real Madrid Team News: Real Madrid have a strong squad to choose from. Xabi Alonso is available from a one-match domestic ban, but longer term absentees are likely to remain absent. Ricardo Carvalho has a thigh problem and Lassana Diarra is unlikely to return from his hamstring problem.

Aitor Karanka (Real Madrid assistant): "They are three important points because they are against a direct rival, but there are four games left after that whether we draw, win or lose. We have all 24 members of the team available and we are delighted."

Barcelona vs Real Madrid Trivia

• Barcelona are on a 11-game winning streak in La Liga, outscoring their opponents 33-8 in those matches.
• The Catalans have scored 167 goals in all competitions this term - 15 more than in the whole of last season.
• Barca's current unbeaten streak of 54 at home in all competitions is the second longest in club history. The club record is 73 and dates back to 1973-76.
• Lionel Messi (pictured right) has scored 29 goals in his last 16 appearances for club and country.
• Real Madrid are on an 18-match unbeaten run in La Liga (W15, D3). Their last league defeat came on December 10, when they lost 3-1 to Barcelona.
• Los Merengues are yet to register a Liga victory over their arch rivals since Pep Guardiola became Barca coach in 2008 (D1, L6).
• In 14 games against Guardiola's side in all competitions, Madrid's record is W1, D4, L9, with the solitary victory coming in last season's Copa del Rey final.
• If they score on Saturday, Madrid will surpass their own record of 107 goals netted in a single La Liga campaign set under John Toshack in 1989-90.

Source: Yahoo Sports, Goal.com