El Clasico: Real Madrid look to extend dominance against Barcelona

Real Madrid will be without in-form striker Karim Benzema, who has scored 22 goals in 25 games in La Liga this term, after he picked up a calf injury in the 3-0 win against Mallorca on Monday.

“We never take risks,” said Ancelotti. “He can’t play because he hasn’t trained, he feels some discomfort [but] it’s a small injury. Karim is 34-years-old, it can happen.”

Former Real Madrid striker Hugo Sanchez said the French forward would be a big miss for the hosts.

“Benzema has lots of quality, is full of talent and now he is becoming a leader of Real Madrid,” he said. “The fact he is injured, the match is going to be completely different.

“He needs to be looked after and protected. If I was Ancelotti, I wouldn’t put Benzema out on the pitch.”

Real do, however, also boast the league’s second-highest scorer in exciting Brazilian prospect Vinicius Junior, who has netted 14 times.

“Vinicius Junior will be a key player,” added Sanchez, who scored 208 goals in his seven years at the club. “[But] it’s complicated to replace Benzema.”

Ancelotti is confident he has options to replace Benzema and among them are Gareth Bale, Mariano Diaz and Luka Jovic, while the Italian will also consider using Isco and Rodrygo in that position.

Barcelona have a frontman of their own in clinical form, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s winner in the Europa League last-16 tie against Galatasaray on Thursday his seventh goal in 10 games since arriving on a free transfer from Arsenal.

“The Clasico is the biggest match in the world, for sure, because everyone is talking about that game, even when we are outside of the game,” the 32-year-old told La Liga TV.

“It means a lot for everyone at the club and obviously I know how the derbies are – I have played a few in the past – and there is this tension and this feeling that it is something special, something different, and this is what we like.”

Aubameyang’s form is a huge contrast to his final months in north London, with the Gabon international falling out with Gunners boss Mikel Arteta and being stripped of the club captaincy following a disciplinary breach.

Xavi, however, said he felt lucky to have the striker.

“Auba has been a gift from heaven,” he said after Aubameyang scored in their 4-0 win over Osasuna last weekend, calling him a “positive player” and a “privilege to train”.

Another former Premier League player, Ferran Torres, scored twice in that victory having signed from Manchester City in the January window as part of Xavi’s rebuild.

Barcelona’s other recruitment has been largely free transfers or loan deals because of the financial difficulties that led to them losing Lionel Messi to PSG in the summer – deals including signing winger Adama Traore from Wolves, .