Pique: El Clasico more crucial to Barcelona than Real Madrid

It’s not often Barcelona faces such a pivotal must win game so early in the season, but that’s clearly the case this week.

Here are five reasons why Barcelona will beat Real Madrid on Saturday.

“It was a day when very few things worked”, Barcelona defender Gerard Pique said after the draw against Sociedad. We need to defend that with results, of course, but [I still think] it’s my best squad.

Atletico stayed nine points adrift of Madrid, which protected its league lead after beating Sporting Gijon 2-1 on Saturday.

There was also a clear tactic to test a perceived weakness against full-back Jordi Alba in the air, with Xabi Prieto twice going close with headers from left-wing crosses, the second of which was directed wide when he was all alone six yards out.

“It’s easy to explain [the result] because Real Sociedad were superior to us in all aspects”, Luis Enrique said after Barca dropped points for the second week running in the league.

Sunday’s result in San Sebastian was Barca’s second successive draw in La Liga.

Yet, in a recurring theme of the season Madrid bagged another three points to go along with performances against Celta Vigo, Athletic Bilbao and Leganes where victory has been secured without a stellar display.

“Oblak was decisive with the penalty save and after Godin’s goal we felt more comfortable”, added Simeone.

“We’ve been using same system which has won us seven, eight different titles”.

Barcelona’s Brazilian forward Neymar pictured during the Spanish La Liga match against Malaga CF at the Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on November 19, 2016. Zinedine Zidane’s team hasn’t lost in 31 matches, dating back to a 2-0 setback at Wolfsburg in the Champions league last season.

– The two teams have only met once before in matchday 14 of La Liga and that game ended in a 5-5 draw back in 1943.

Luis Enrique’s men travel to Hercules for the first leg of their last-32 cup clash on Wednesday.

Manager Luis Enrique was infuriated after the game. Toni Kroos is also out for Real Madrid, but Casemiro is expected to be back after a spell on the sidelines. It won the first game 7-1.

What followed was a thrilling encounter: Real Sociedad dominated the goalless first half, in which Barcelona keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen made more passes than anyone and Barcelona’s first shot came with 40 minutes on the clock.