Both teams have had their good and bad times this season. Barcelona have been steady since Lionel Messi’s injury against Las Palmas two months go while Madrid have been solid but unspectacular.

Messi when he suffered the knee injury against Las Palmas
Both teams have fitness issues ahead of the clash. Madrid will hope Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos and Benzema will be fully fit while Barca have worries over Iniesta, Rakitic and Messi.
Despite the hitches the match promises to be a cracker…
1. Lionel Messi’s comeback: What better way for the best player in the world to make his comeback from a two month injury layoff than against Madrid?While Neymar and Suarez have stepped up the plate in the Argentine’s absence, Messi’s superhuman abilities and consistency is just too much to write off.

Oliseh Should Not Celebrate Swaziland Victory – Clemens Westerhof 2. Rafa Benitez will have his first true test: Rafa Benitez has been solid in the beginning of his Real Madrid coaching career. The Spaniard was not a favorite of fans, the press and players alike when he replaced Carlo Ancelotti in the summer but he has been winning over those against him recently.
His only defeat to date is that 3 – 2 defeat to Sevilla before the international break. Many are low to note that some of his best players have either been injured but off form. Ronaldo has continued to score and has 13 goals in fourteen games this season but five of those came in just one game against Espanyol.

Drew 1 -1 against Atletico Madrid, beat PSG 1 – 0 over two legs in the Champions league and lost 3 – 2 to Sevilla. Can Benitez see fortune against Barcelona? Saturday’s game awaits.
3. Can Madrid cope without Sergio Ramos?: Madrid might have to do without Sergio Ramos for the El Clasico. The midfielder injured his shoulder when he acrobatically scored against Sevilla in that 3 – 2 loss. Immediately Ramos left the pitch, the team lacked leadership at the back, defensive cohesion and found it difficult to play the ball out of the back.

Sergio Ramos
Madrid will hope their best defender is back to lead the ‘backline’ or could be overwhelmed by an attack that could line up as Neymar – Suarez – Messi.
PHOTOS: Lionel Messi’s New Boots Set For El Clasico Debut
4. Will the match be fixed?: Few weeks back, it emerged that senior officials in Real Madrid allegedly approached a referee supposed to officiate the match to favour the capital club.
“According to Cadena COPE (h/t Sport), Per Malyon was asked to favour Real Madrid by the referee, who said he was under pressure from the referees committee, but he refused and was later contacted by Jose Angel Jimenez Munoz de Morales, a member of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees, who threatened his career.”
If that report is to be believed, then we could have a strange match on our hands. It could lead to a series of comments, fireworks and other issues being raised. Will the match be fixed, will the referee favour Madrid?

L-R: Karim BEnzema, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
5. Its the El Clasico: You should not miss this match because its simply…EL CLASICO. Its probably the biggest club game in the world barring finals of major tournaments like the Champions League, FA Cup, or any other match. The Jose Mourinho vs Pep Guardiola era of El Clasico’s were stuff of legends.

Guardiola and Mourinho shake hands before an El Clasico match in 2011
So Saturday, November 21 at 6pm should be booked for El Clasico.