Zinedine Zidane relishing Barcelona-Real Madrid clasico - here's the last ten in pictures

Real boss doesn't believe they are underdogs despite recent poor form

Barcelona's Gavi celebrates their 1-0 Copa del Rey semi-final first leg win against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on March 2, 2023. Reuters

Barca's Raphinha celebrates with the Spanish Super Cup after their 3-1 victory against Real at King Fahd International Stadium on January 15, 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Getty

Karim Benzema celebrates with Federico Valverde, Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior after scoring in the 3-1 La Liga win against Barca at the Bernabeu on October 16, 2022. Getty

Barcelona's players celebrate their 4-0 La Liga win over Real at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 20, 2022. AFP

Real Madrid celebrate after their 3-2 Spanish Super Cup semi-final win against Barcelona on January 12, 2022, at the King Fahad International stadium in Riyadh. AFP

Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos celebrates victory a 2-1 victory at the end of the clasico at Camp Nou on October 24, 2021. AFP

Real's Brazilian midfielder Casemiro receives a red card during the clasico on April 10, 2021, but Real still won the game 2-1. AFP

Lionel Messi and Barca were beaten 3-1 by Real at Camp Nou on October 24, 2020. EPA

Real Madrid players celebrate their win at the end of the clasico on March 1, 2020 - a game they won 2-0. AFP

Lionel Messi of Barcelona holds off Sergio Ramos of Real Madrid at Camp Nou on December 18, 2019. The La Liga encounter ended in a 0-0 stalemate. Getty

An Ivan Rakitic goal gave Barcelona a 1-0 La Liga win over Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on March 2, 2019. Getty

Luis Suarez scores Barca's third goal in a 3-0 second leg win at the Bernabeu on February 27, 2019 as Barcelona clinch a place in the final of the Copa del Rey. Getty

Brazilian midfielder Malcom celebrates after scoring in a 1-1 first leg semi-final draw of the Copa del Rey at Camp Nou on February 6, 2019. Getty

Arturo Vidal of Barcelona scores his side's fifth goal past Thibaut Courtois during a 5-1 La Liga win at Camp Nou on October 28, 2018. Getty

Barcelona's Uruguayan forward Luis Suarez scores against Real Madrid in a 2-2 La Liga draw at Camp Nou on May 6, 2018. AFP

Lionel Messi scored the second of Barcelona's three goals in a 3-0 La Liga win at the Bernabeu on December 23, 2017. Getty Images

Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema scores the second goal during their 2-0 Spanish Super Cup final second leg win at the Bernabeu on August 16, 2017. Getty Images

Lionel Messi scores a penalty but can't prevent Barcelona losing the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup against Real Madrid at Camp Nou 3-1 on August 13, 2017. Getty

Zinedine Zidane insisted the clasico is "always special" as his Real Madrid side prepare to take on Barcelona at an empty Nou Camp on Saturday.

Los Blancos' injury-hit side will bid to put two consecutive defeats behind them against a Barca team who have won just two of their four matches this season.

"We know what we're going to encounter, an empty stadium, but it's the same for every team," Zidane said.

"It's a different clasico, but it's still a clasico and it's always special. It's important for us to start well.

"We are not going there as underdogs or anything else. Every game has its own story.

"That's the beauty of football because you can have a bad run, a bad game. In the end the good thing about football is that you have the chance to respond and change the situation again.

"And that is what we're going to try to do. Think positive and put in a great performance of football."

Zidane will be boosted by the return of captain Sergio Ramos from injury after he was absent from the defeats to minnows Cadiz and Champions League opponents Shakhtar Donetsk.

Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman will take charge of his first clasico as coach on Saturday and told his club's website: "It's a different game to the rest.

"You always feel more pressure, but I've been in football for many years. I'm used to dealing with this pressure.

"Real Madrid possibly haven't been at their best level in previous games, but that doesn't mean that they will come here with low morale. Real Madrid are an experienced side and have the quality required to win the game.

"The game will be strange as when you play at home in these kinds of games the fans are almost an extra man. We hope that soon we can have our supporters back at the stadium."

Full-back Jordi Alba is set to return from injury and Koeman added: "We will always field the best team for each game, and it doesn't depend on the age of the player."