Isco: We must avenge El Clasico embarrassment

Real Madrid midfielder Isco admits his side want to avenge their 4-0 defeat to Barcelona this coming weekend and believes it will provide a massive boost for Los Blancos if they seal victory.

Real played host to the Catalan giants back in November and were left battered and bruised by Luis Enrique’s side at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The La Liga leaders won in the Spanish capital by four goals to nil – a game in which Isco was sent off in – and it was a result which was undoubtedly one of the final nails in the coffin for former boss Rafa Benitez, who was removed from his post shortly after.

The return of El Clasico is due to take place on Saturday when the two sides do battle at the Nou Camp, although there is not as much riding on it as there was in the last encounter.

Barcelona are 10 points clear of their rivals with eight games to go, but Isco insists his side are still eager to avenge the defeat in Madrid four months ago now.

"We have to reclaim ourselves on Saturday against Barcelona after the bad image we gave ourselves at the Bernabeu [a 4-0 loss in November]," Isco told Cadena Cope.

"I am ready for the Clasico. I haven’t played much and I am not tired. To win at the Camp Nou would be a very large morale injection."

Real Madrid have been in fantastic form since Zinedine Zidane replaced Benitez at the helm, with the Spanish giants winning nine of their 12 La Liga matches under the reign of their former midfielder.

Madrid are also in the quarter-finals of the Champions League after knocking out Roma recently and will face Wolfsburg next month as they bid to win an 11th European Cup this term.