Messi, or no Messi: Barcelona in prime form ahead of el clasico with Real Madrid

Andy Mitten writes Spain have found comfort since their shaky World Cup exit in Brazil and he predicts the outcome of el clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Barcelona’s Neymar, left, and Luis Suarez have scored 20 of their team’s 24 goals since Lionel Messi was injured. David Ramos / Getty Images

Gerard Pique describes the current mood in the Barcelona dressing room. Despite Barca missing Lionel Messi, the best player in the world, Luis Enrique's side are playing well and three points clear at the top of Primera Liga as they go into Saturday's classico at the Bernabeu.

“It has been difficult without Leo,” Pique tells The National. “He’s the best in the world, he helps us a lot to win games and titles, but without him we’ve showed that we can play well and win.

“We have Neymar, we have Luis Suarez. We have a great team with great players. Obviously it’s different without Leo, but I think we can still play well.”

Pique mentioned Suarez, a serious personality when compared to the more jokey Neymar. Despite the contrast, they get on well.

“They are two great guys,” said Pique. “They’re great mates on and off the pitch, they connect really well.”

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Neymar and Suarez scored in Barca’s last league game, a 3-0 win against Villarreal, which, combined with Real Madrid’s first defeat of the season, at Sevilla, sent Barca three points clear at the top after 11 games.

Neymar and Suarez scored all three goals, with the Brazilian’s second his best since arriving in Spain in 2014.

“It was unbelievable,” said Pique of Neymar’s goal. “I cannot do those type of things.”

Messi may or may not feature in el clasico, but Neymar and Suarez have scored 20 of Barcelona’s 24 goals since the Argentine limped out of a game against Las Palmas in September with a knee injury.

He is back in training at the same rhythm as his teammates, though Barca are guarding information about a possible classico comeback.

Either way, Barca will benefit, first from the uncertainty in Madrid that Messi might play and secondly from the benefit of Messi if he actually plays.

If he does not, he will not be the only familiar face who is missing. Having moved to Qatar, former player Xavi will not be involved in a classico for the first time since making his debut in 1998.

The Catalan, who watches every Barca game on TV at his home in Doha, speaks glowingly of Suarez and Neymar, but when this writer went to see him recently in the Qatari capital, Xavi claimed that Messi is so good because Cristiano Ronaldo pushed him to set new benchmarks in football.

“He wouldn’t be as good without Ronaldo,” Xavi said. “He wouldn’t have won all those Ballons d’Or. And I don’t think Ronaldo would have won them all, too.

“They push each other. The difference between the two is that while they’re both great goalscorers, Messi is much more involved in the play of the team.”

Online poll: What will be the result of El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona?

Xavi watched Messi grow from a child, but how has he changed?

“He’s become a man,” Xavi said. “He’s shy, but when he has your confidence and trust you see what he’s like and he’s a very good person. He’s a joker, one of the biggest in the dressing room.

“He’s witty, very ironic in his humour. He’s intelligent and he’s clever. Most of all, he’s a winner.”

Barca go into el clasico in a positive frame of mind. They are top of their Uefa Champions League group ahead of their match at home to Roma next week and, according to Xavi have “reached a spectacular level” without Messi.

“They have an intensity in defence, they press high, they give no time for the other team to think.

“Barca will win trophies again this season, I’m confident of that. Things are looking very good for the next games; I have a good feeling about them. It’s a very, very good time.”

Spain have found comfort since shaky World Cup exit in Brazil

Spain's friendly game against Belgium in Brussels was cancelled on Tuesday, a shame on many levels. From a human perspective, it was sad that a raised security threat saw a game postponed, as it did between Germany and the Netherlands in Hannover the same night.

From a footballing perspective, it was a chance for Spain to test themselves against one of the best teams in the world, the team ranked highest in Europe.

At least Barcelona and Real Madrid fans did not see any of their players injured ahead of el clasico.

Vicente del Bosque wanted to play the game, but recognised the security threat. While he wants more time with his squad, and is conscious that a shorter festive break could leave them tired at the end of the season, he at least saw his side beat England on Friday in Alicante, Mario Gaspar’s acrobatic volley and Cesc Fabregas’ goal inflicted England’s first defeat in 16 games.

Spain possess a superior class of player, but they also defended well and had a killer instinct in attack, though it is telling that both goals came from midfielders and not from Diego Costa, who has never found the same form for Spain as he has with his clubs.

European champions Spain are looking strong going into Euro 2016 next summer, where they hope to become the first team to win the title for a third successive time.

They already became the first to retain the title when they won Euro 2012, outlining their status as the pre-eminent European force.

That status looked shattered after a poor performance at the World Cup last year, when they failed to get out of the group stages, but Del Bosque’s side seem more comfortable now than they did in Brazil.

Spain have slipped to sixth in the latest Fifa rankings, but they have a formidable mix of elatively young but experienced players such Fabregas, Gerard Pique, Juan Mata, Pedro, Sergio Ramos, Sergio Busquets, Santi Cazorla, Juanfran, Andres Iniesta, David Silva and Iker Casillas, combined with emerging yet established talents of David de Gea, Jordi Alba, Isco, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Alvaro Morata, Costa, Paco Alcacer and Marc Bartra.

No country on the planet boasts a surfeit of such talents, especially in midfield.

Javi Martinez, Ander Herrera and Nolito are three more names which Del Bosque must decide whether, or where, they fit in his squad.

Spain were not vocal with their excuses after they failed in Brazil, but their players found the long internal flight and significant temperature changes tough.

At least in France everything will be much closer.

Game of the week

The obvious one, Real Madrid v Barcelona, from the Bernabeu, which people around the globe will be watching, yet there is the small matter of the Galician derby between Deportivo La Coruna and Celta Vigo, who have been brilliant this season but who slipped to a surprise 5-1 home defeat to Valencia in their last game. There is also another big game in Madrid in this round of league fixtures, a southern Madrid derby between Getafe and Rayo Vallecano. Not unwisely, they have put the match back until Monday.

El Clasico prediction

Real Madrid 1 Barcelona 1 – While the games are almost impossible to predict, goals are always likely. There has not been a goalless clasico for 18 matches. Madrid look more solid defensively than Barcelona this season, but were exposed in their last game against Sevilla. Barcelona meanwhile, have hit form without Lionel Messi.

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