The first Clasico of the season comes up on Nov 21. Barcelona visit Santiago Bernabue as league leaders just 3 points clear of Madrid.

Real Madrid team news Sergio Ramos, Marcelo and Isco have all recovered from their respective injuries and reported to Rafa Benítez for duty. All three trained with the rest of the squad ahead of 'el Clásico'. The only player who trained alone was Keylor Navas, who is still trying to recover from a muscle strain in time for Saturday's big game (18:15).

Attack or Defend, Benitez has a decision to make. Rafa Benítez will currently be busy mulling over all his available options to decide on Real Madrid's line-up for their upcoming Barcelona showdown. This marks Benítez's first crunch match in his time at the 'Los Blancos' helm. He has welcomed back some key players and now comes the tricky part - how best to fit all the pieces together. The Spanish coach will be puzzling over a number of potential strategies to topple Barcelona, hinging on his pick of attacking stars. Benítez must first decide on whether to opt for the BBC trident. If so, he will then have to choose from amongst the full arsenal he has available to him in midfield. Option A would be a repeat of the plan seen in recent games, that is, Casemiro as a defensive midfielder, flanked by Toni Kroos and Luka Modric. Another potential choice, also headed up by BBC, could be to bring James in, resulting in a domino effect in which Kroos would take over from Casemiro and move into the holding midfielder position. In option C, again featuring the Colombian, it would be Kroos who, having failed to convince so far this season, would be dropped from the starting line-up. Lacking his form of last term, the German was subbed off at the Pizjuán when Real needed to turn things around. In this scenario, Casemiro would rack up his ninth straight start.

HE IS BACK. Barcelona forward Lionel Messi was back in training on Monday five days before the La Liga leaders play at second-placed Real Madrid in the first of the season's two 'Clasicos'. Messi has not featured since sustaining a knee injury at the end of September, depriving the Spanish and European champions of their talisman and top scorer. Barca have performed well in the Argentina captain's absence, however, with Uruguay striker Luis Suarez and, especially, Brazil forward Neymar in fine form. "The session included Leo Messi, who is continuing his recovery from the left knee injury he picked up on Sept. 26," Barca said on their website. Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic, sidelined since damaging a calf muscle in the Champions League Group E game at home to BATE Borisov on Nov. 4, was also back in training, they added. With 11 matches played, Barca, who are chasing a sixth La Liga title in eight years, lead Real by three points, with Atletico Madrid a further point behind in third.

It is back to business for Karim Benzema. The Frenchman has been sidelined for more than a month owing to a combination of a hamstring injury and legal troubles surrounding his involvement in the Mathieu Valbuena blackmail case. Now with the 'Clásico' on the cards, the striker is desperate to focus on football and experience the thrill of hitting the net again. As it so happens, Benzema has a habit of making his mark against Barcelona. His record reads seven goals and six assists in 20 appearances against the 'Azulgranas' and he has got on the scoresheet in the last four 'Clásicos' at the Bernabéu. Leaving aside his stats, the feeling is that Benzema lifts the game of all around him. The France international's technical ability and vision make him a perfect foil for his strike partners, in particular Cristiano Ronaldo, with whom he has special chemistry. After a tempestuous few weeks, the 27-year- old is eyeing an oasis against Barça. He can't wait to pull on his boots and trot out at the Bernabéu again to take on one of his favourite opponents.

We must avoid falling into a panic ahead of 'El Clásico'". Such is the objective that Spain's security corps have set as the Real Madrid vs Barcelona clash looms large. Since the horrific terrorist attacks committed in Paris, key figures have been working flat out to ensure the safety of the just under 80,000 supporters who are expected to take in one of the biggest fixtures of the La Liga season. A meeting was held to discuss safety measures at the city police security department on Tuesday, where chief, Javier Barbero sought to send out a reassuring message to those attending the match: "I'd go to the game safe in the knowledge that the policing has been intensified". In the coming days further meetings are to be held to determine just what measures are to be implemented by Madrid's police forces. Today at 18:30, the Anti-Violence Committee will be joined by the Secretaries of State for Sport and Security at a meeting called to inform about the special measures, and to officially announce the game's classification as a high-risk fixture. On Thursday at 18:00 a meeting will be held with government officials, due to be attended by all of the relevant security bodies, at which decisions will be taken with regard to the specific teams who will be responsible for ensuring that the match passes off without incident.

The Barcelona players went through their paces at the Joan Gamper training complex ahead of Saturday's 'Clásico' encounter at the Santiago Bernabéu against Real Madrid (kick- off: 18:15). The biggest news to have come out of the Barcelona camp this week still remains the fitness of Lionel Messi, with the 'Albiceleste' forward having made a return to full training. The 28-year-old's recovery has exceeded all expectations, as he has been able to take his place alongside the rest of his teammates, and carry out the full range of training exercises.

Barcelona star Andrés Iniesta believes Lionel Messi is "a fundamental player" for the team and is confident the Argentine can feature in the starting line-up against Real Madrid. "If he's in the squad, it'll be because he's ready, whether it's from the start or on the bench. If Leo starts the game, it will improve the team's chances", he said. "Saying Real Madrid are weaker would be foolish and that's not what we think. They have so many qualities that can hurt us and with the match being at their ground, it's even more important for every aspect of our game to be spot on", he warned. "I love these types of matches because of what they involve and transmit. I hope they keep getting my juices flowing", he explained. The Spain international also revealed what Barcelona will need to do to win the game : "If there's one thing we must be clear about, it's that we have to be ourselves, play our game, try to dominate possession and take the game to them as much as we possibly can". Iniesta added that "it's still very early" and the outcome of 'El Clásico' "won't be decisive" in terms of the title battle, although a win over their longstanding rivals is always "emotionally very important". As for the Paris attacks, the midfielder remarked that, "This situation makes everyone feel uneasy, it's inevitable. It's a shame it stops us talking about sport and football, but it's the reality we're living in and you can't avoid it".

Gareth Bale goes into the 'Clásico' in perfect working order. This may even be the best physical shape he's been in since joining Real Madrid. Having been given leave to sit out the international break, the Welshman heads into the biggest match of the season so far well rested and having undergone a tailor-made training programme to ensure he is firing on all cylinders. "He's looking better than ever" is the word of some eye witnesses at Valdebebas. Fitness aside, Bale is also in a good place mentally. He is feeling determined and sure of himself, having resolved to step up to the plate and show he can be the main man that Real Madrid want him to be. It hasn't been an easy start to the season for the former Tottenham star. Dogged by injuries and placed under the microscope owing to comments by his agent, he has failed to really get going. He has only played seven matches at club level - six in La Liga and one in the Champions League - in which he has scored twice and delivered three assists. Both goals came on the same night, on 29th August against Betis. That makes it almost three months since he last netted for 'Los Blancos'. Bale is convinced that his barren spell will come to an end sooner rather than later. And, given his buoyant spirits and tip-top condition, why not in the 'Clásico'?

After completing training on Friday as normal, Leo Messi and Ivan Rakitic were given the all- clear to feature in the Barcelona squad for the 'Clásico'. Both players have been working alongside the rest of the group all week after recovering from their respective injuries. The Argentine has been out for almost two months with a knee ligament problem while the Croat has spent two weeks on the sidelines nursing a calf injury. The 18-man squad is made up of: Luis Enrique opted against taking Jordi Masip and Marc Bartra to Madrid, while Douglas Pereira and Rafinha Alcântara are ruled out through injury.

Real Madrid boss Rafa Benítez hit back at those who have accused him of being too defence-minded. "Real Madrid's ethos is to try to win by attacking and outscoring the opposition, whoever it is we're up against. We don't worry too much about the opponents; we just aim to take care of our side of things", Benítez said in the lead-up to Barça's visit to the Bernabéu. "There are three extremely important points on the line for our title bid", the Madrid-born tactician went on. "This is a winning team with the scope to get even better. Having all our players available can only benefit the group as a whole. The strength we showed when we've been missing players is cause for optimism", the former Liverpool boss stressed. Benítez insisted that he will look to take the initiative against Barcelona: "The attributes of this Real Madrid team mean we have to attack regularly, threaten the opposition keeper and score goals, and that's what we're going to do". The Spaniard once again referred to the statistics to defend himself against charges of being too negative: "The most attacking team are whoever take the most shots at goal. If you analyse things, you'll see what we're all about. We're going to carry on in the same vein and just try to be more ruthless". "I don't like being second and we have the opportunity to fix that", he added. Benítez also countered the suggestion that Barça are favourites: "We're playing at home, in front of our fans, and that's why I think we're favourites. Obviously we're up against a great team but we're confident going into the game and I think we're going to do a great job".

PREDICTED LINEUP
Real Madrid:
Keylor, Danilo, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo, Kroos,
Luka Modric, James, Gareth Bale, Cristiano
Ronaldo, Benzema.
Barcelona: Claudio Bravo ,
Jordi Alba , Jeremy Mathieu, Gerard Pique,
Dani Alves; Sergio Busquets, Ivan Rakitic,
Andres Iniesta, Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez,
Neymar

SCANDAL OR NO SCANDAL - WHY REAL MADRID AND RONALDO NEED BENZEMA

The French forward is ready to return after more than a month on the sidelines, and while he has been wrapped up in controversy recently, he has been badly missed Karim Benzema is back. Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez named the French forward in his squad for the Clasico against Barcelona on Saturday and his return represents great news for the club - not least for Cristiano Ronaldo. Benzema has been sidelined since October 8 when he picked up an injury in a friendly against Armenia and in his absence, the Portuguese attacker has struggled for goals. Having hit 10 in nine games earlier in the season, Ronaldo has managed only three in five fixtures since the striker strained his thigh playing for France. Coincidence? Unlikely. As former coach Carlo Ancelotti always said, Benzema is just the right centre-forward for Real Madrid. "He is ideal for Ronaldo and Bale," the Italian said recently. "To me, Karim is the best player in the world in his position and not just as a goalscorer. Talking about whether he should score 30 goals is a false debate. He has great qualities; he is a complete player." With both Bale and Ronaldo hungry for goals and neither particularly generous when in the penalty area, Benzema is indeed ideal. He drops deep to create space and unselfishly sets up others. He knows he won't be the top scorer, but accepts his role and even though he misses chances, Ancelotti is correct - there is no striker in world football better suited to the club than the Frenchman. However, this season has been a difficult one for the 27-year-old. The striker has completed 90 minutes for Madrid only twice this term and been substituted in six of his eight appearances by Benitez. That has left the forward frustrated. The injury followed and there was worse to come as he was arrested, spent the night in jail and faced questions in court for his alleged involvement with blackmailers in a sex tape scandal involving France team-mate Mathieu Valbuena. Madrid immediately backed their player with a strong supportive statement after talks between Benzema and club chief Florentino Perez, but the striker has struggled to find full fitness in recent weeks and remained a doubt even for the match against Barca. FULL STORY | Benzema arrest and sex tape scandal explained "Benzema is in the squad, he has trained well and that's why he is with the group. So we'll decide if he plays or not," Benitez revealed in the pre-match press conference on Friday. The former Lyon attacker wasn't picked in the same side as Bale and Ronaldo during Madrid's practice session at Valdebebas on Friday, but the Frenchman may yet start in the Clasico and posted a picture on his Instagram account which showed him going past a floored Javier Mascherano in a previous game against Barca. With the Valbuena case still in the news, Benzema will be keen to put those events behind him and get back to doing what he does best, while Madrid really need him and Ronaldo will be the happiest player of all to see his team-mate return. "Karim is the best striker in the league," the Portuguese said last month. "He's doing a phenomenal job." Ronaldo hasn't been doing a phenomenal job, however, and not for a while. But Saturday would be a good time for the Portuguese to rediscover his fading form following some poor performances in big games in recent months. There aren't many more games bigger than a Clasico and with Madrid three points behind Barca ahead of Saturday's match, the pressure is very much on the Portuguese to deliver. And with Benzema alongside him, he'll have a better chance. By Ben Hayward Goal.com

Plenty of question marks and few certainties, such is the landscape ahead of the first Clásico of the season. The certainties all come from within the Barcelona camp, the league leaders have successfully negotiated what was billed to be a tough spell, during which they would have to soldier on without their star man, Lionel Messi. As for the question marks, they mainly revolve around the capital club, who trail their arch-rivals by three points, and whose play has so far failed to convince, notably against PSG and Sevilla. Rafa's side has been on the receiving end of stinging criticism, and 'Los Blancos' all of a sudden find themselves under massive pressure, all brought on by the reality that defeat to Barça would leave Rafa Benítez treading on thin ice. As always, this one game is at the centre of attention in the footballing world. There's no other fixture which generates quite the same level of expectation throughout the world as La Liga's biggest does. This owes much to on- field events, but also in this case, to the intensified security measures to be rolled out both inside and around the Santiago Bernabéu. The Paris attacks have taken centre stage in the build-up to this Clásico showdown. The game very much has a feel of a big reunion to it. Having been plagued by injuries in the opening weeks of the season, both teams have now got the majority of their players back fit. The issue, however, for those who are returning to the fold is that the Clásico is really not the sort of game in which you can gently ease your way back into things.

Karim Benzema will feature in the 'Clásico'. It remains to be seen, however, whether he will start or come on in the second half with the decision hinging on his confidence levels. The Frenchman is fit to play 45 minutes. After over a month on the sidelines, the 27-year-old is short of match fitness, which is why he and Rafa Benítez agree that he should not be risked for more than half of the contest. If Benzema feels confident after a final test and tells the boss he wants to start, he is very likely to be granted his wish. Benítez backs Benzema Since taking over the reins, the Spaniard has shown complete faith in his French forward and set him the challenge of 25 goals for the season. Until his injury, he was the club's top goalscorer with six strikes in five league games, which is his finest tally at that stage of the campaign since signing from Lyon in 2009. The alternative option is for Benzema to wait until the second half to enter the fray. Benítez has various players who could fill in, although he knows the number 9 is the perfect foil for Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale. Isco and James could well complete the trio if the Frenchman starts the game on the bench. Benzema is keen to prove his worth during the 'Clásico' and get the world talking about what he does on the pitch once again after an injury and controversy-filled period, with the Valbuena case affecting him deeply. Playing football could well be the best medicine of all.

It's gonna be classic indeed! But why would Perez be contemplating sacking Benitez if the team lost tonight? Besides, Zidane is far from prepared for Madrid job.

Politicos:
It's gonna be classic indeed! But why would Perez be contemplating sacking Benitez if the team lost tonight? Besides, Zidane is far from prepared for Madrid job.

it seems Benitez doesn't have the full backing of the fans and some key members of the squad

Oluwaseytiano:
it seems Benitez doesn't have the full backing of the fans and some key members of the squad

Obviously so. They are asking for more exciting football while Benitez prefers a conservative style of play.

Politicos:


Obviously so. They are asking for more exciting football while Benitez prefers a conservative style of play.

exactly. ironically Madrid are the top scoring team in laliga

Oluwaseytiano:
exactly. ironically Madrid are the top scoring team in laliga

Yeah, but not everyone is convinced. There a bloating fear that they may end up with no trophy again this season. This fear is fuelled by the inconsistent unexciting display of the forward line.

Politicos:


Yeah, but not everyone is convinced. There a bloating fear that they may end up with no trophy again this season. This fear is fuelled by the inconsistent unexciting display of the forward line.

benzema absence and a poor ronaldo are the main cause

Oluwaseytiano:
benzema absence and a poor ronaldo are the main cause

Benzema is very instrumental. I learnt he has been named in tonight's squad. But they should all hope that the lawsuit hanging on his neck hasn't demoralised him. That case looks more damaging than I earlier thought.

Politicos:


Benzema is very instrumental. I learnt he has been named in tonight's squad. But they should all hope that the lawsuit hanging on his neck hasn't demoralised him. That case looks more damaging than I earlier thought.

Perhaps the sight of Barca would make him forget all the drama and lift his spirit

Oluwaseytiano:
Perhaps the sight of Barca would make him forget all the drama and lift his spirit

For the Madrid fans that ll start comparing messi to cr7 we now know what you really want, and u actually know the truth. So I ll just drop this

6mins to kickoff

kick off