Lionel Messi fit for Clasico

“We played what was quite honestly a complete match in every sense”, Iniesta, who was given an ovation by the home fans when he was substituted late on, told Spanish television.

In addition to finding a way to handle in-form pair Neymar and Luis Suarez, Benitez will also have to find a way to cope with the returning Lionel Messi.

Real surrendered top spot to Barca when they were beaten at Sevilla and another defeat on Saturday will see them drop six points behind their arch rivals after 12 games.

– Rafa Benitez has lost six of his 10 games as manager in La Liga against Barcelona (W3 D1).

FC Barcelona forward Lionel Messi dribbles past Real Madrid’s Jese, Toni Kroos, and Cristiano Ronaldo during last March’s El Clásico.

“Messi is a player that makes a difference in all games and in Clasicos he has always made a big impact but we will have to see if he is ready”.

More than 2,000 police and other security and emergency services personnel have been deployed, fans were subjected to rigorous checks before being allowed in and snipers were positioned on the stadium roof.

The match will be played under unprecedented security measures after a string of deadly attacks in Paris a week ago that killed 129 people.

Anyone without a Paddy Power account can get the special enhanced odds of 7/1 on Real Madrid or 10/1 on Barcelona by signing up for one through this link before kick-off at 17:15 GMT on Saturday evening.

“We know he’s not going to be 100 percent fit, coming back from injury, depends how he feels, but it’s great for us he’s back”.

Barcelona was down one point in the standings when Messi was injured and now the team has turned that into a three point lead. The Argentine playmaker had missed the last nine Barcelona games.

Andrea Iniesta celebrates his goal with Sergi Roberto. The Brazilian controlled the ball inside the area and sent it into the net with a low left-footed shot underneath Navas, who touched the ball but couldn’t completely block the shot.

Madrid were at full strength only for the second time this season.

Meanwhile, Colombian star James Rodriguez is preferred to Casemiro in the Madrid midfield.