As the old saying goes, “the devil is in the detail” – and it has certainly been “details” that have decided El Clasico fixtures over the last few years. Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi’s brilliance, in their respective eras dominating the Camp Nou, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s header to win the Copa del Rey last term are but a few of the moments that have been stuck in the heads of both teams’ followers in recent clashes. And this evening at the Santiago Bernabeu will be no exception as the winners of the small individual jousts might just have the last laugh when it comes to the victor’s identity.

We assess the key battles that are set to decide El Clasico:

Sergio Ramos and Pepe vs Lionel Messi

Messi always savours these occasions against Real Madrid, while Sergio Ramos, who has been brilliant in the centre of Los Blancos’ defence recently, faces a true test against the world’s best player. The Andalucian will certainly need to be at his best in order to stop Messi. The meeting between the latter and Pepe meanwhile will be intriguing after the way the Portuguese was dismissed last year, having man-marked Messi through the entire evening with a certain degree of success.

A tough and robust display from the Real Madrid duo however could spell bookings and even expulsions. But that is the reality of the situation for any top-class defender when facing Barcelona’s number 10. Playing with a high line can also be tricky, as the Blaugrana exposed and humiliated Los Blancos after Mourinho implemented that strategy almost a year ago in the famous 5-0 demolition at the Camp Nou.

Marcelo vs Pedro/Alexis Sanchez
Once touted as the weakest link of any Real Madrid side, those days are over for Marcelo as the Brazilian has established himself as arguably the best left-back on the planet under Jose Mourinho’s guidance. Having improved the defensive aspects of his game, the 23-year-old now holds a near-mental link with Cristiano Ronaldo on the left flank, and even gets on the scoresheet every now and then.

Possibly in opposition to Pedro, Marcelo is facing a regular goalscorer. The winger tormented the curly-haired Brazilian on several occasions last term, and failing to cover defensively could be costly for Real Madrid. Conversely, Alexis Sanchez might start on the right-hand side for Barcelona. The Chilean had an impressive CV in Serie A, and will be looking to make Clasico history here. The identity of the man to face Marcelo is not clear yet. What is clear however is the importance of this mini-clash.

Iker Casillas vs Victor Valdes

Not a direct confrontation, but one that has gained attention in recent years as Victor Valdes has elevated his performances to become one of the modern game’s greatest goalkeepers. While few are mentioned in the same breath as the Real Madrid legend, Valdes has managed to shrug-off the “error-prone” tag that doggedly followed him some years ago, establishing himself as an indispensable part for the current Barcelona scheme.

If an open game is to be expected, then both goalkeepers will probably work more during these 90 minutes than they have done throughout the entire season so far. The train might have passed Valdes by to be Spain’s undisputed number 1, with Casillas firmly in the driving seat, but the Barcelona shot-stopper still holds more Zamora trophies than his Real Madrid counterpart – four to one.

Jose Mourinho vs Josep Guardiola

Both coaches have developed a rivalry of their own in recent years, as Mourinho reigned supreme against Guardiola in the semi-final of the 2009/10 Champions League – with Internazionale – and last season’s Copa del Rey final, while the former Barcelona midfielder denied the “Special One” La Liga and Champions League glory. This season, another chapter promises to unfold.

Guardiola got the better of his counterpart in the league last term, as the ex-FC Porto boss paid the price for his reliance on the offside trap. Mourinho seemed to have learned his lesson with a three-man enforcing midfield, a strategy that promised results, but failed to deliver them. The prospect of fielding it once more seems tempting for the Real Madrid boss, as he wants to impose a physical battle on Barcelona’s midfield, in the midst of Mesut Ozil’s utterly deplorable performances in El Clasico clashes so far.

Click here to read our El Clasico match preview:  Real Madrid v Barcelona

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