Referring to the El Clasico as the greatest domestic football showpiece on earth would widely never be out of place but rather would be greeted with handshakes of approval. The two most in-form clubs in Europe will lock horns at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday where almost 600 million pounds worth of talents would strut their stuff on the football pitch. Rivalry will be rejuvenated, supremacy will either be confirmed or denied, and a tricky case of repeat or revenge is highly anticipated. This is the El Clasico.

Whilst Pep Guardiola has revolutionized football by playing false nines, tiki taka football, midfielders in defence and playing three defenders at the back (the latter two reminiscent of ancient  Italian style of defending), Jose Mourinho has built for himself a reputation that even the wily Sir Alex Ferguson will be envious of. Mou’s record of reigning in the trophies alongside jaw-dropping performances in his second season at every club the Portuguese has managed will be key in this marquee fixture. A quick glance at the La Liga league log clearly reveals Real Madrid in pole position followed by FC Barcelona; three points separating the two, albeit the Catalan giants have played a game more. This titanic clash is potentially a season defining one…. tomorrow’s game is  match day 14, I’m aware and there are more games ahead but I’m headstrong that a win for Real Madrid will all but seal the Liga title for Los Blancos opening up a 6 point gap. Barcelona winning the Clasico series has become the status quo these days as Los Merengues have not won against their eternal rivals in the La Liga since the 2007/2008 season so how does Real Madrid beat Barcelona in tomorrow’s El Clasico?

The formation Jose Mourinho employs tomorrow will be a key ingredient in this fixture. From every indication, the Portuguese gaffer will roll out his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, which I have a problem with. Apart from the away league game against Valencia in which Mourinho preferred to play 4-3-3, the usual formation has been the aforementioned 4-2-3-1. If Barcelona play a 4-3-3 formation, then the midfield battle will be a case of 2 vrs 3 where Madrid will definitely lose. For me, playing a 4-3-3 formation (such as against Valencia) with the same tactics will be the best for Real Madrid. In that game, “The Special One” employed three defensive midfielders in Sami Khedira, Xabi Alonso and Lassana Diarra. Khedira was given a special role; playing high up the field and pressing the Valencia centre-backs, Adil Rami and Victor Ruiz when Madrid did not have the ball. Pressing will be discussed later on but a 4-3-3 formation is the key thrust here. This will give room for a 3 vrs 3 situation in midfield and as Madrid have stronger players in the middle compared to Barca’s midfielders, Los Blancos can win the midfield battle and build on that to win the game.

Again, direct and counterattacking football should be the answer going forward for Real Madrid. We’ve seen Madrid demonstrate possessive football this term with intricate short passes but to play that kind of football against the author of such kind of football (Barcelona) will be the greatest mistake Real Madrid will ever make. Barcelona are masters of this type of football and teams that have tried to play like Barcelona against Barcelona end up losing. A certain Arsenal quickly comes to mind. There’s a rule at Barcelona called the “6 second rule” where the players have 6 seconds to regain the ball whenever they lose it. And so in a typical game, Barcelona players attack in pairs whenever they lose the ball and try to regain it back within 6 seconds. Madrid playing the possessive kind of football means Barcelona will easily dispossess them of the ball with ease as that is one of the hallmarks of the Catalan giants. Direct football is invariably associated with counter attacking football. Real Madrid have scored almost half of their goals from counter attacks and seem to be the best counter attacking team in the world at the moment. With the presence of lightning-quick forwards in the shape of Cristiano Ronaldo, Mesut Ozil and Angel di Maria, quick counter attacking football should be quintessential for Mourinho’s side on Saturday if they are to carry the flag of victory.

Another point worthy of note is how Madrid should defend against Barca. Pressing high up the field and forming two banks of four when Barcelona is in possession will be the best way to defend against Barca. The Catalans have an admirable philosophy with they way they utilize SPACE on the field of play; they make the pitch seem larger when they have the ball by running into spaces and make the pitch look smaller when the opponents have the ball by closing them down (courtesy the 6 second rule). Sami Khedira and Lass are more than capable of executing this task of pressing and covering space, leaving Xabi Alonso in a less physically involving role but rather a creative one. The two combative midfielders have boundless amount of energy and will be rearing to buzz around the field closing down opponent players when the ball is higher up the pitch. Deep defending will involve forming two banks of four where the formation will look like a 4-4-1-1 formation when the ball is around centre midfield; the same tactics Chelsea effectively used against Valencia in the Champions League on Tuesday.

Without doubt, some players in white will influence the outcome of this game. Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel di Maria and Xabi Alonso to be precise. Ronaldo has been transformed from an individual player to a more complete player since Florentino Perez shipped 80 million pounds to Manchester United for the services of the Portuguese forward. He has scored 107 goals in 109 games thus far and this is an astronomical statistic worthy of adulation. So far this season, the good-looking forward has scored 17 goals plus some 6 assists to his credit (joint top scorer with Lionel Messi who also has the same number of assists too). The Portuguese has scored twice against the Catalans in 2011 and will surely be the main protagonist in this Clasico story. Mostly employed on the left wing as an inverted winger, the former world best will be pitted against a rather ambitious Dani Alves who will prove a tough customer. Angel di Maria is also in the form of his life having already assisted 11 times (top assist provider in the La Liga) so far. Another inverted winger, the left-footed right sided player loves to drift into central positions and his work rate coupled with his skills, tricks, theatrics and flicks will add some beauty to the game. I’ve always reiterated that Xabi Alonso has been the most important player at Real Madrid this season with his accurate cross field passess, intelligent break up play, defence-splitting passes, deliveries from set-pieces and a calming influence in a young Madrid midfield. In my honest opinion, the Basque midfielder has been the best regista (deep lying playmaker) in the La Liga this season alongside Xavi Hernandez. But the problem here is, Alonso has always been uncomfortable playing in a midfield that also contains Iniesta, Busquets and Xavi. Let’s hope the scale of excellent performance tilts in favour of the former Liverpool midfielder on Saturday evening.

Exploiting Barca’s weakness will be the last point of note in this piece. Barcelona have their own flaws. The fact that they play a high line of defence means that playing the ball in behind their defence will find them panicking. Fortunately, they are not blessed with too many quick defenders and Madrid’s pacy forwards should be lurking for over the top passes by Xabi Alonso. Barcelona do concede a number of goals from crosses and set-pieces too. Free kick expert, Cristiano Ronaldo will be relishing the  chance to rattle the net with one of his ferocious trademark free kicks whilst Jose Mourinho will be looking out for the full-backs and Angel di Maria to whip in the crosses from the flanks. Mesut Ozil also takes some perfect corner kicks and as most of Barcelona’s players are vertically challenged, the likes of Ronaldo and sometimes Sergio Ramos may grab the chance to steal the headlines. Another way of exploiting Barca’s weakness is to attack Dani Alves. The Brazilian full-back is famed for his swashbuckling runs up field leaving the right side of Barcelona’s defence exposed. Alves is an important part of this current Barca set up and with 5 assists already to his name due to his ability to bomb forward, Madrid have  to push him back to nullify his threat just like Valencia did at the Mestalla last month. Valencia manager, Unai Emery actually played two left-backs (Jordi Alba and Jeremy Mathieu) to pin Alves down and Barca looked  helpless as all the two goals from Valencia came down the left-flank or right side for Barca, where Dani Alves operates. Cristiano Ronaldo and a more industrious left- sided player, probably Fabio Coentrao will do a great job on Alves.

OTHER POINTS WORTHY OF NOTE

1. Keep Lionel Messi in check. The diminutive Argentine and soon to be enthroned World Best Player for an unprecedented third time in a row has been merciless against Iker Casillas scoring a whopping 13 times against the Spanish number one. He’s odds on to score again……….at the Bernabeu.
2. Take the GAS off FAB….Fabulous Fabregas has been in scintillating form since he returned to his first love, Barcelona. The skillful midfielder has played several roles across midfield and attack including as a false nine and as a second striker behind Lionel Messi. Seven goals and 5 assists is testament to the kind of telepathy the former Arsenal captain has struck with his new team mates.
3. Attack the centre-backs especially Mascherano. Argentine defensive midfielder, Javier Mascherano has grown into his role as a centre back at Barca but still has some way to go. With Carles Puyol out injured, Mascherano will definitely partner Gerard Pique. The former Liverpool star man is very tough with his tackles and the tendency for him to whack down Benzema or Ronaldo (when he drifts into central positions) just in and around the 18 yard box will work in favour of Real Madrid. Masch as he is affectionately called has already amassed 4 yellow cards in the La Liga this season whilst his partner in crime, Gerard Pique, has 5 yellow cards.
4. Home advantage. Madrid have the luxury of playing at home and with more than 70,000 Madridstas drumming their heads off all in the name of raising the morale of the players, Mourinho’s men can simply not disappoint. What’s more, Real Madrid have not lost a single game nor drawn at the Estadio Bernabeu this season (in all competitions) and are currently on a 15 game winning streak in all competitions, which equals a record set way back in 1960/1961. A win against Barca will shatter to smithereens that record and set a new record which will be an incredible feat for Jose Mourinho’s men. On the other hand, Barcelona have been awful in their away games scoring only 8 times and conceding 7 whilst Lionel Messi has only scored once in an away game and 16 times at the Camp Nou. Food for thought!!
5. Finally discipline. Madrid accumulated as many red cards in the Clasico series last term which in the long run, went against them. Attracting a red card in a game of this magnitude is equivalent of shooting yourself in the foot and so the likes of Angel di Maria, Pepe and other prominent members of this detestable clique should be adviced.

Basically, the points delineated above if religiously observed by Jose Mourinho should be enough to clinch a win for Real Madrid. I’ll proceed to predict my first 11 in a 4-3-3 formation. Iker Casillas (GK), Alvaro Arbeloa (RB), Sergio Ramos (RCB), Pepe (LCB), Marcelo (LB), Lass (DMF), Xabi Alonso (DMF), Sami Khedira (CMF), Cristiano Ronaldo (LWF), Karim Benzema (CF) and Angel di Maria (RWF). I hate to predict but a 3-1 victory for the men in white seems to be on the offing with two goals coming in from Cristiano Ronaldo and another from Angel di Maria. HALA MADRID!!