Six of the last seven Clasicos in all competitions have all been won by Barcelona, and if they were to emerge victorious again, there would be a nine-point gap between themselves and Los Blancos.

Mbappe the danger to Barca's aspirations

Whilst not insurmountable at this early stage of the season, of course, the Catalans will have put a real marker down against an eternal rival that they've beaten to the league title in the past two seasons.

Vinicius Junior is banned for this match after his recent sending-off, meaning that the lion's share of responsibility for goals will fall upon the shoulders of Kylian Mbappe.

Not that the Frenchman will mind at all, as he's already scored four times in LaLiga against Barca, and five in all competitions. Moreover, he's consistently scored against them throughout his career.

Given that Hansi Flick will ensure his side plays their high defensive line as always, Mbappe should have rich pickings if the hosts don't get things right at the back.

Lamine to help spearhead Barca's four-pronged attack

Barcelona's star man, Lamine Yamal, is in fine form himself, and with the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London a day after this match, a match-winning performance from the superstar youngster would be timely indeed.

The Catalans lost their first match in any competition this season when they were beaten by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League during the week, whilst Real eased to victory over RB Leipzig.

Yan Diomande scored in that game, and alongside Endrick and Jude Bellingham, they will be expected to provide a decent supporting role for Mbappe.

The visitors' 4-2-3-1 set-up is likely to be mirrored by Barca, with Anthony Gordon, in his first Clasico, forming part of a front four with Lamine Yamal, Raphinha and most likely Fermin Lopez, after Dani Olmo had to be subbed off in the PSG game.

Rodri's role

Rodri, who was courted by Real in the summer before signing for the Catalans, will anchor the hosts' midfield, and will hope to provide enough cover in front of the defence to stop Los Blancos from peppering Joan Garcia with efforts in the same way PSG were allowed to.

The former Manchester City ace will have to be at his very best to stop a mobile and effective Real midfield, in which Arda Guler, a player Barcelona were keen to sign themselves, will be expected to shine.

Flick's major concerns have always been defensive, and with Eric Garcia joining Andreas Christensen and Jules Kounde on the sidelines, Barca are very light in terms of cover.

Of the trio, only Kounde is likely to be fit for this Super Sunday showdown, but if he too fails a fitness test, then emerging right-back Xavi Espart is likely to be given the nod alongside Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin and Joao Cancelo.

No place for Trent?

The mentality of attack being the best form of defence is certainly something that Flick's Barca subscribe to, so that may limit the raiding of Marc Cucurella and Federico Valverde down the channels.

This match would actually be ideal for Trent Alexander-Arnold. However, the former Liverpool right-back isn't the flavour of the month under Jose Mourinho, so it's difficult to see him starting here.

There are two areas where the game is likely to be won and lost.

Firstly, the battle between Lamine Yamal and Spanish teammate Cucurella, which is one that the latter has previously come out on top in.

Cucurella and Pedri's importance

Just under a year ago, Cucurella, whilst playing for Chelsea, completely cancelled out Lamine Yamal's threat in a comprehensive 3-0 Champions League win for the Blues. Doing so once again would nullify Barca's major attacking threat.

Elsewhere, the freedom given to Pedri will largely dictate how the hosts play for the most part.

The midfielder looked lethargic against PSG and lost the ball on a number of occasions because of the instant pressure upon him.

Madrid need to take their cue from that performance, though it must be said that Rodri hadn't entered the fray until the hour mark, after which Barca looked much more comfortable in that area.

If Pedri is therefore able to roam and create, and isn't shut down at source, it will be Barca that gets the lion's share of chances. 

The same applies if Frenkie de Jong is given any time on the pitch after being out for so long. The Dutchman is now a veteran of these titanic tussles, and his experience would be invaluable.

With at least four goals scored in 12 of the last 17 Clasicos in all competitions, we could well bear witness to another epic encounter, and one which is vital for both to win, albeit for different reasons.

Game on!