Today, Sunday, March 19, Barcelona and Real Madrid will meet in their fourth El Clasico match this season.
Barcelona are already nine points ahead in the league, making this an important game for Real Madrid because if they score they will dim their hopes of defending their title.
Xavi's men can still win the league with a loss in that match, but a win at their Spotify Camp Nou fixture could extend their advantage to 12 points
While El Clasico is the biggest match in La Liga that has built up respect around the world, the recent scandal that hit Barcelona has raised a new face between the clubs.
Corruption charges have been filed by prosecutors against former Barca presidents due to payments made to a company owned by referee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
While Barcelona denies any wrongdoing due to the payment, the belief is that the payment was for Barcelona to receive favors from referees, something that Real Madrid have talked about
When Real Madrid were not included in the scandal, but they were involved with Barcelona in the process of creating the European Super Cup, the charges brought to court have made Los Blancos begin to separate from Barca.
While it may not be visible on the pitch during today's match, it is something that could have more impact later on
