Monday, November 4, 2013
Barcelona currently sit top of La Liga, with 25 points from nine matches, one more than second placed Atletico Madrid and three clear of tonight's visitors Real. Considering how rarely both teams drop points, one gets the feeling this is a hugely significant moment in Real's league campaign, even though less than a quarter of the season has elapsed.
For Barcelona, Jordi Alba remains sidelined with injury, which means Adriano is likely to start at left-back, while One of Carles Puyol or Javier Mascherano will start alongside Gerard Pique in the centre of defence. Xabi Alonso will be missing from the Real Madrid ranks, while Gareth Bale will probably make just his second start for Real Madrid following his low-key summer move from Tottenham Hotspur.
