Live - Barcelona v Real Madrid

2036: My word that's close. Cristiano Ronaldo slams the free-kick goalwards and it's a few inches wide of Victor Valdes's right-hand post. Barca break with Lionel Messi and Pepe is clambering all over the Argentine - he picks up a booking too now.

2035: David Villa goes in late on Sami Khedira and he's now booked by the referee. Can Real Madrid take advantage of the lull we've had in the last few minutes?

2035: Half-time Leicester 0-0 Nottm Forest

2034: Half-time Droylsden 1-0 Layton Orient

2033: The noise reaches a crescendo inside the Camp Nou as Cristiano Ronaldo pushes Pep Guardiola, who has the ball in his hand, that's absolutely ridiculous behaviour from the Portuguese. The Barca players, fiercely protective of their coach, are absolutely seething, and they forcibly argue with the Real Madrid man. Ronaldo is booked and so is Victor Valdes, who should have known better than to get involved.

2030: According to television, Barcelona have had 72% possession so far at the Camp Nou, which is pretty alarming for the visitors. They are working it from side to side, seemingly without a care in the world.

From jblackbird1 on Twitter: "I think Barca are taking Ronaldo's "Let's see if they can score 8 past us" comment quite seriously..."

2027: Even Cristiano Ronaldo looks rattled - he attempts a simple pass out to the right, but hits it straight to Eric Abidal. Very unlike the Portuguese forward.

2025: If you get to watch this game ever, have a look at 24:14. Andres Iniesta's touch is heavy and the ball goes out of play.

2024: Barca are toying with Real Madrid and the home fans are enjoying this as you'd imagine. On the rare occasions they lose the ball, Madrid are giving it straight back to them. Iker Casillas is permanently fuming.

From Chris, Middlesbrough, on text: "Jose has got this so wrong. His midfield aren't disciplined enough to contain Xavi and Iniesta."

2021: I've said it during the last few Clasicos, but I'll say it again: I know Barcelona aren't perfect, but they might just be the greatest football team we get to watch for many, many years. They are making Real Madrid look distinctly ordinary right now, and ordinary they are not.

Barca goal: I'm not sure what Real Madrid are doing. A soaked Jose Mourinho looks stunned, as well he might do. The ball is played out to the left where David Villa has space to drive at Sergio Ramos - his cross flicks off the defender, Iker Casillas cannot get hold of it and there is Pedro, a man who always seems to know exactly where to stand, to knock it in from point-blank range.

2019: GOAL Barcelona 2-0 Real Madrid (Pedro)

From BacktoHighburyplease on 606: "This is exactly what I wanted, Barca scoring first which means Real are now going to start attacking. Going to be good, no doubt."

2015: Good grief, it's all happening. Cristiano Ronaldo tries to find Karim Benzema inside the Barca box with a ball from the left and Eric Abidal has to touch it back to Victor Valdes, who tips it behind for a corner. Sergio Ramos heads over and there's a breather for a second.

2014: So much going on already. Lionel Messi is brought down but it's a fair challenge from Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid break, a move which ends with Angel di Maria's stinging shot being tipped over by Victor Valdes.

2014: GOAL Droylsden 1-0 Leyton Orient (Kilheeney)

Barca goal: It has been coming - Real just haven't got going at all. But it's also a bit lucky, as Andres Iniesta fizzes a low pass into the Madrid box for Xavi and after Marcelo slides in and it seems to clip Xavi's heels, it bounces up for the midfielder, who reacts superbly to volley past Iker Casillas from 10 yards. The bus has been towed away.

2011: GOAL Barcelona 1-0 Real Madrid (Xavi)

2009: The boos when Cristiano Ronaldo gets the ball are deafening, trust me, it was the same last season. He does about 47 step-overs before crossing, but Angel di Maria cannot get a shot away.

2007: Brilliant. Barca play a corner to the penalty spot, where Xavi's shot is blocked. It comes out to an angle on the right, where Lionel Messi clips a stunning shot against the far post, with Iker Casillas beaten.

2006: Barca have a slight worry over keeper Victor Valdes, nervy times for a moment or two. Cristiano Ronaldo crosses from the right and Valdes picks up, but falls into Gerard Pique. He needs some treatment, but should be OK to continue.

2004: Barca have had most of the ball so far, but they haven't created anything yet. Pedro's flick fails to find a team-mate and Real clear.

2002: Cristiano Ronaldo is dumped on his backside inside the first few seconds. There won't be many pleasantries.

2001: It is absolutely hammering it down in Barcelona, but I don't think any of the near-100,000 people inside the Camp Nou will care. Referee Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez gets us under way. What a noise.

From the great Kenny Dalglish on Twitter: "Just settled down in front of the telly to watch EL Clasico. Hoping for plenty goals but fear Jose might try to park the bus."

From Melvinouk on Twitter: "The world's greatest team vs the world's greatest manager - this is El Clasico!"

1956: The players are getting ready to enter the cathedral of football at the Camp Nou, with 98,000 fans waiting expectantly. Must wish FC Barcelona a happy birthday, too - the Catalans are 111 years old today.

Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola: "I think Barcelona have a very good team, but I also think Madrid do too. To think Barcelona have a better team is not fair. Madrid have always had very quick players who can get to goal with few touches. They have always been a team based on the counter-attack and they continue being that."

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho: "When I went to Barcelona with Chelsea or Inter it was fun, but now it will be even more fun. Barcelona have won everything but it never won the Champions League in the Bernabeu and maybe in another 30 or 40 years they'll get another chance to do it."

1950: By the way, we are under way in the Championship asLeicester play Nottm Forest and in the FA Cup as Droylsden take on Leyton Orient.

From Chris, on text: "Iniesta will once again prove he's the best player in the world by dominating the game on the biggest stage. Fancy a goal and a dominant performance in the centre of midfield from little Andres."

From Chamakhs_centre_of_gravity on 606: "Real's defence is far superior and with Mourinho at the helm, there is no way Barca can get through. Real to win it."

1945: Here are a few stats to get you in the mood:
- In seven games, Lionel Messi has never scored v Jose Mourinho
- In five games, Cristiano Ronaldo has never scored v Barcelona
- Jose Mourinho has two draws/three defeats as boss at Camp Nou
- Pep Guardiola has won four straight Clasicos as Barca boss
- Guardiola becomes first non-Dutchman (Michels, Cruyff, Van Gaal, Rijkaard) to take charge of three Clasicos at Camp Nou

Barcelona legend Johan Cruyff: "The way we think is that we want the ball and it makes life harder for you if we have got it. Jose Mourinho lets the other team have the ball and adjusts his own team to react to that. You cannot compare the two philosophies."

From Shuheb10 on Twitter: "It's going to be a cracker, am predicting 4-3 to Madrid."

1938: Yes, that was a joke also. I mean if you can't enjoy nights like these, when can you? Messi v Ronaldo, Xavi v Xabi, Villa vBenzema, Iniesta v Ozil, Valdes v Casillas, Puyol v Carvalho,the list goes on and on and on. Of the 23 players recently shortlisted for the Fifa Ballon d'Or, 10 are taking part in the Clasico. This is as stellar as football gets. I haven't even mentionedDani Alves, Sergio Ramos, Gerard Pique, Pepe, Sergio Busquets, Sami Khedira, Pedro or Di Maria. Wow.

1936: There's not much point in me trying to hide it: I'm looking forward to tonight's football immensely. I mean, aside from anything else, the three best players in the world right now are all in action...

Barcelona's Lionel Messi, Forest's Lewis McGugan and Real's Cristiano Ronaldo

From Tom, on text: "The hype surrounding this match is huge, but with Mourinho in charge of Real, I can't see the match living up to expectations due to his ideas of going defensive. Xavi to destroy Real is my opinion."

1930: Stevo's Predo:
Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid

1928: Droylsden v Leyton Orient teams:
Droylsden: Phillips, Roche, Hardiker, Brown, Brownhill, Killeen, Kerr, Connors, Holden, Kilheeney, Banim.
Subs: Towns, Cryan, McNiven, Gardner, Vaughan, Rouse, Smith.
Leyton Orient: Jason Brown, Aaron Brown, Chorley, Forbes, Daniels, Cox, Smith, Spring, M'Poku, McGleish, Revell.
Subs: Butcher, Dawson, Tehoue, Cestor, Millwood, Walker, Benjamin.
Referee: Colin Webster (Tyne & Wear)

1927: Leicester v Forest teams:
Leicester: Weale, Naughton, Davies, Hobbs, Cunningham, Abe, King, Wellens, Gallagher, Bednar, Vassell.
Subs: Logan, Morrison, Oakley, Howard, Dyer, Fryatt, Waghorn.
Nottm Forest: Camp, Bertrand, Chambers, Morgan, Gunter, Cohen, Moussi, McGugan, Anderson, Adebola, McCleary.
Subs: Smith, Wilson, Earnshaw, Tyson, Tudgay, Ramsey, Majewski.
Referee: Michael Oliver (Northumberland)

From Arsenal's Jack Wilshere on Twitter: "Barca v Real... what a game!"

From Glaucon on 606: "Looking at those line-ups as a Rangers fan makes me want to weep. Just imagine even one or two of those in the SPL. They'd make a mockery of it. Xavi, Iniesta, Ronaldo, Ramos, Ozil, Messi all on the same pitch? Amazing. I'm more excited than Augustus Gloop in the chocolate factory."

1922: If you want some pre-game reading, let our European blogger Phil Minshull set the scene: "This is the game that the media and almost every other Spanish football fan have been waiting for since the start of the campaign," says Minshull. As for me, Jonathan Stevenson, I've been looking into the ferocious form of the world's two best players: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. "The two of them are very good, for sure, but I prefer Messi," Sevilla's Didier Zokora told me. Check the stats out, if nothing else. Sheesh.

From hypetr on Twitter: "Two of the greatest ever players about to play a football match with the greatest ever combined pool of talent. Giddy."

1917: Your headline from that team news is that Real Madrid strikerGonzalo Higuain has not recovered from injury in time to play at the Camp Nou, so Karim Benzema starts up front. Barca are as expected.

1915: Barcelona v Real Madrid line-ups:
Barcelona: Valdes, Dani Alves, Abidal, Pique, Puyol, Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro, Messi, Villa.
Real Madrid: Casillas, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Carvalho, Pepe, Khedira, Xabi Alonso, Ozil, Di Maria, Ronaldo, Benzema.
Referee: Eduardo Iturralde Gonzalez.

From Chris, DC, on text: "(See 1902) Saw that joke coming a mile away."
Well, I'm nothing if not predictable. More to follow.

1911: Any Barca-Madrid thoughts? How about a reaction to what one Spanish newspaper have dubbed the game: 'CLASICAZO'.Vintage chat from those boys, now I want yours:
Get the tweets in @Stevo_football;
Whack me a text to 81111;
And do your thing on the 606 page.

1908: So, Barcelona v Real Madrid gets under way at 2000 GMT this evening and I'll bring you the very latest from Spain as and when it happens. Team news on the way. There are two games in England I'll be keeping half an eye on too, as Leicester meet Nottingham Forest in the Championship and Droylsden meet Leyton Orient in the FA Cup second round. Goal updates from those two, but focus on El Clasico. OK? Great.

1905: OK, game face on. Tonight, our focus is about 700 miles away from where I'm sitting in west London, as two of the biggest clubs in the world meet at the top of La Liga in Spain. The giant Camp Nou is the venue; FC Barcelona and Real Madrid CF are the protagonists. Rarely can a domestic fixture have engendered such an extraordinary level of hype, but can El Clasico live up to the billing?

1902: But enough of Leicester v Forest, from now on let's focus onBarcelona v Real Madrid...

1900: This evening, the planets in the footballing universe have aligned and the stars are about to collide in the most spectacular fashion imaginable. At an epic theatre of drama, two pedigree practitioners of the finest sport on Earth will do impossibly brilliant battle with each other under the enchanted gaze of thousands present and millions more surveying the scene from the comfort of their own armchair. For the victors, the rewards will be plentiful; for the losers, abject misery awaits. It is an occasion like no other.