Liga Preview: Barcelona-Real Madrid

The Spanish Superclasico is no ordinary game. It is even more special this year with Ronaldo coming back to the Camp Nou for the first time since leaving Catalonia in '97.

Yet the attention on Ronaldo's participation is not that big of a deal when you glimpse at Barcelona's current league position. Deeply rooted in mid-table, the Blaugrana must win the Superclasico and kick-start their season back into life.

For Barca boss Louis van Gaal, the key to success in Saturdays game lies in: "the players being able to control their emotions. There's a lot of pressure, we're up against a top class rival and these games are always played at 100%"

Another key factor for Van Gaal is that: "all of the players must be aware of their opponents, but also of their teammates. It's a combination of wanting to win and creativity that win this type of contest, but history is also important and in this particular tie, its on our side: we've not lost for nearly 20 years."

As for Real Madrid, Van Gaal isn't expecting any surprises from a team who've: "been playing together with a more or less settled team for the last two or three months", although Zidane's absence(see accompanying article) may force Del Bosque to make changes.

The Merengues enter this titanic match-up with their inability to gain a Liga win at Camp Nou as well documented as ever. 19 years it is now since the great Alfredo Di Stefano steered them to victory.

Vicente Del Bosque certainly has the raw materials at his disposal to do plenty of damage on Saturday evening, but it's fair to say he's yet to find the right mix. The injury to Raul certainly hasn't helped, but a side such as Real can't put all their problems down to just one player. And nor do they attempt to.

Not that the Merengues are in such a terrible way. Five points behind leaders Real Sociedad is by no means an unbridgeable gap, while the team continue to churn out plenty of chances. Just a matter of putting them away.

So all eyes will be on the return of Luis Figo and Ronaldo to their old stamping ground. The date of October 21, 2000 will remain fresh in the mind of the Portuguese, for it was that night that he was the target of not just insults, but bottles, coins and mobile phones.

But while Figo, who missed out on the Nou Camp clash season, will not be relishing a second visit, the prospect doesn't seem to worry Ronaldo at all.

"I'm really looking forward to it," he says. "I'm going to prove to everyone who has criticised me that they're wrong." Time will tell.

But just how fresh will Ronaldo and his other Brazilian team-mate, Roberto Carlos, be having only just arrived back from their country's friendly in Korea? In games such as this, the general consensus is that players rarely tend to feel fatigue. Adrenaline takes over.

What will be of more concern to Del Bosque will be the fact that he's without his captain and veteran centre-back Fernando Hierro. He isn't getting any quicker, and the years may be catching up on the retired Spanish international, but in games such as these, the Merengues' fans would rather be with him than without him. One wonders just how the inexperienced Francisco Pavon will cope alongside Ivan Helguera, whose hardly been as solid as a rock this season.

FORM GUIDE

Barcelona Last Six Matches: WWDWWL

A good sequence ended in agony last week in La Riazor as Barcelona were hoping to snatch a draw. Too bad it did not happen as two goals in the last ten minutes wrecked Van Gaal's defensive plans. Previously Barça's recent fixtures list has been dominated by the Champions League, where they clinched six wins on the trot.

Real Madrid Last Six Matches: LDWWDD

Things are beginning to look up for Del Bosque's men. They secured their first away Liga win in months thanks to a 3-2 triumph over Rayo Vallecano, and are also safely into the next phase of the Champions League, albeit not in their usual style. The 0-0 draw secured at Deportivo La Coruna will be seen as a point gained, although they would have hoped for more than a repeat score-line against Sociedad at the Bernabeu last week. They could even have lost that one, with Darko Kovacevic hitting the post late on.

LATEST TEAM NEWS

With three players used in Argentina's untimely (yet lucrative) friendly against Japan, Barcelona are not in an ideal position to come into the Superclasico. Van Gaal lamented the limited time he had to prepare the match. Most of the Dutch tecnico's problems are in attack: Patrick Kluivert is not 100%, nor Juan Riquelme or Javier Saviola. Gabri purged his suspension, whereas Fernando Navarro begins his. Van Gaal's main preoccupation is to block Luis Figo on the wing. Carles Puyol will try to do the job.

Real Madrid: the big news is that Zidane is out with a back injury. Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Solari are thought to be fit after returning from heir friendlies in Asia, and should all start. Hierro remains on the sidelines, while Celades and Tote have been left out of the squad. Raul will be looking for a goal to dedicate to his new son Hugo.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Javier Saviola (Barcelona): Javier Saviola assured the Barca fans that he's in perfect condition to face Madrid this Saturday, despite his marathon journey this week with the Argentinean national team, who played in Japan on Wednesday. Saviola played 17 minutes in the game, but told reporters: "it was a long and tiring journey, but I feel fit and I just need a good sleep tonight. It's a bit confusing with the time shift when you make a long journey."

Ronaldo (Real Madrid): the Brazilian makes his return to Camp Nou for the first time since leaving in such controversial circumstances. The reception is likely to be hot, but just how hot? Surely not of the kind that Luis Figo received.