10 April,2010 06:46 AM IST | | PA Sport
Real Madrid and Barcelona will both be looking to strike a major blow in the Primera Division title race tonight when the two Spanish superpowers go toe-to-toe in what will be the 80th 'Clasico' between the arch rivals at the Bernabeu.
Although Madrid hold the clear upper hand in previous editions of this fixture, winning 50 of the 79 encounters in front of their own fans and losing just 15, there is precious little separating the two teams heading into tonight's match.
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Lionel Messi of Barcelona will
play a critical role in the outcome of the match. Pic/AFP
Both are locked on 77 points at the top of the standings and Madrid are only ahead due to a goal difference of plus one.
However, with Barca having won the first meeting 1-0 at the Nou Camp in November they only need a draw to take over at the summit on head-to-head record.
Knowing therefore that anything other than a win would see his side lose control of their own destiny, Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini will settle for nothing less than three points.
"We will go out for a victory. A draw is always a bad result for my team, we've never gone out looking for a draw. We've picked up a lot of victories away from home, and more at the Bernabeu, and this game is not going to be an exception," said Pellegrini.
"We have to show why we are leaders. We've always gone out to take the game to our opponents from the start and it will be no different on this occasion."
Madrid are the form team in La Liga with 12 successive victories behind them and 15 home wins out of 15 in La Liga this season.
They are also the top scorers in the division with 83 goals, 42 of which have been scored by forward duo Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldou00a0-- who between them have only made 45 La Liga appearances.
Barca are not short of firepower or form either.
Last season's sextuple winners have won seven of their last eight league games and on Tuesday progressed through to the semi-finals of the Champions League after thumping Arsenal 4-1 in the second leg at the Nou Camp.
El Clasico, in figures
80 The number of times Barcelona and Real Madrid have locked horns in the Spanish League at the
latter's home ground.u00a0
77 THE number of points both Barcelona and Real Madrid have garnered to be on top of the points table.
15 That's how many matches Real Madrid have played at their home groundu00a0-- the Bernabeu. They have not lost a single match playing at home this season.
83 the number of goals Real Madrid have scored this season. Incidentally, strikers Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo have scored 42 out of them.
