Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski scored a quick-fire second-half double to set the leaders on course for a thrashing of Real Madrid.
Following is a factbox detailing key numbers around Spain's El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona. The arch rivals meet at Barca's Nou Camp stadium in La Liga on Saturday in a match that could decide the destination of the title. Real have a four-point lead with five games left.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo stole the limelight as Barcelona and Real Madrid drew 2-2 in a thrilling La Liga 'El Clasico' at the Nou Camp on Sunday.
The club did not say how long the problem will keep him sidelined but media reports suggest it will be up to a month.
Sporting marked the final home game of coach Ruben Amorim's reign in stunning fashion as Viktor Gyokeres' hat-trick saw them come from behind to thrash Manchester City 4-1 and maintain their superb start to the Champions League on Tuesday.
Barcelona has decided to leave Neymar out of the decisive El Clasico against Real Madrid because of the legal uncertainty over an appeal to overturn his suspension
Real Madrid's decision to sell midfielders Xabi Alonso and Angel Di Maria left many scratching their heads and consecutive La Liga defeats as well as a reverse to Atletico Madrid in the Spanish Super Cup set alarm bells ringing at the Bernabeu.
The numbers behind Sunday's 'El Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona at the Bernabeu stadium.
On the eve of the big game, the Malian footballer tell Rediff.com's Norma Godinho why Real Madrid are favourites and what is plaguing Barcelona this season.
The historic rivals will meet again twice in August in the Spanish Super Cup and this International Champions Cup match set the entertainment bar high, with Barcelona maintaining their 100 per cent record in pre-season.
Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale lashed home to deny La Liga champions Barcelona victory in an ill-tempered 'Clasico' which finished 2-2.
Lionel Messi became the all-time top scorer in 'Clasicos' with 21 goals, surpassing Real great Alfredo Di Stefano who scored 18.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1 in the first Clasico of the season in front of 86,422 fans at the Camp Nou on Sunday after a sensational strike from defender David Alaba and a late goal from Lucas Vazquez gave Carlo Ancelotti's side three points.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo returned to full training on Friday for the first time in a week, indicating he would start Saturday's crunch game against Barcelona.
'Messi is a player that makes a difference in all games and in Clasicos he has always made a big impact but we will have to see if he is ready' 'You never know what can happen in these types of games and when you start as favourite it can often go wrong'
Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos once again proved to be the man for the big occasion as he converted a fiercely debated penalty to help his side to a 3-1 win over rivals Barcelona at an empty Camp Nou in La Liga on Saturday.
Jenni Hermoso scored a late hat-trick as Barcelona hammered CD Tacon 9-1
Barcelona star Neymar will miss the Clasico after receiving a three-match ban following his red card against Malaga, dealing a big blow to the Catalans who lie three points behind Real Madrid having played a game more than their rivals.
Following is a selection of Spanish words and phrases which help explain the intense rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona played out in the El Clasicos
"It's better for Messi to play as he is the best in the world and he gives you a boost but we should be very proud as a team, as we showed that we are a great team without Messi and we have a great coach (Ernesto Valverde)," Suarez said.
Luis Suarez, whose four-month ban for biting an opponent expires on Friday, will make his official Barcelona debut in Saturday's La Liga clasico at Real Madrid, coach Luis Enrique said.
The 168th La Liga 'El Clasico' between in-form Real Madrid and an erratic Barcelona could see the table-toppers take a big step towards winning the title and sound the death knell for the champions bid for a fifth triumph in six years.
The match marks just the second time, and first in 35 years, that El Clasico will be played outside Spain.
Lionel Messi requires two more goals to reach 500 for Barcelona and will have his sights set on achieving the milestone against great rivals Real Madrid in Sunday's Clasico.
Zinedine Zidane is unconcerned by suggestions that his Real Madrid side go into Saturday's 'Clasico' against runaway La Liga leaders Barcelona as big underdogs. Real sit third in the table 10 points adrift of Luis Enrique's side, who crushed them 4-0 at the Bernabeu earlier in the season to spark outrage among the Madrid club's fans They vented their frustration on president Florentino Perez and coach Rafael Benitez who was sacked weeks later and replaced by Zidane. The Frenchman, who like his opposite number Luis Enrique played in the 'Clasico' many times, is preparing for his first clash with Barcelona as Real coach and his team, who have won their last five matches in all competitions, head to the Nou Camp in confident mood.
Barcelona need to avoid getting sucked into the Spanish obsession with El Clasico when they face Ajax Amsterdam in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Federico Valverde finished off a stunning move in extra time to give Real Madrid a 3-2 victory over arch-rivals Barcelona
The two forwards have hit their strides ahead of Saturday's Clasico showdown between the two heavyweight clubs.
Nine Catalan separatist leaders were jailed for between nine and 13 years on Monday for their roles in an illegal referendum and subsequent failed independence bid, sparking protests and clashes across the region. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia.
The Primera Liga title will be decided by "El Clasico" between leaders Barcelona and second-placed Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in just under two weeks, according to Real midfielder Lassana Diarra.
Memories and images of Johan Cruyff will provide an emotional backdrop to Saturday's Nou Camp 'Clasico' against Real Madrid when Barcelona pay tribute to the man who transformed the club from also-rans into one of the game's superpowers.
Following public comments from La Liga chief Javier Tebas, who said it was "not ideal" for the second El Clasico meeting between Real and Barca last season to be played with the latter having already won the league title, the two sides will face off earlier this campaign.
Real Madrid coach Rafa Benitez has a full squad available, including forward Karim Benzema, for Saturday's La Liga Clasico at home to Barcelona.
Valverde believes the match should go ahead as planned.
Real coach Julen Lopetegui has come in for fierce criticism this season, having presided over a run of five games without a win -- the team going eight hours and one minute without scoring -- before Tuesday's unconvincing 2-1 triumph over Viktoria Plzen that saw the team whistled off the pitch by their own fans.
The Spanish government's top sports official has sent out a message of calm and said there is no reason for Saturday's La Liga 'El Clasico' between Real Madrid and Barcelona to be postponed following Friday's attacks in Paris.
Tensions have flared in the region of Barcelona due to the controversial court decision jailing several leaders of the Catalan independence movement for their role in organising a referendum on the subject in 2017.
The Real Madrid-Barcelona 'Clasico' is televised around the world and often decides the La Liga title, but a Seville derby is a tougher proposition, Barca defender and former Sevilla favourite Dani Alves has said.
As well as a potential title decider, Saturday's El Clasico between bitter rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona serves up the latest installment in the goal-scoring drama featuring record-setting marksmen Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Real Madrid and Barcelona will meet in the opening La Liga "Clasico" of the season on the weekend of October 6-7 at Barca's Nou Camp stadium, according to the draw held at the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) headquarters in Madrid on Tuesday.
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