Barcelona boss Ernnesto Valverde has opted to leave Lionel Messi on the bench in their El Clasico clash against Real Madrid, with the club's skipper struggling with a thigh injury.
Messi is replaced in the starting XI, from the side that drew with Valencia on Saturday in La Liga, by Malcom .Sergio Busquets also returns to the side, after serving a suspension at the weekend, alongside Clement Lenglet, Jordi Alba and Arthur.
Real Madrid also make changes to their side, opting for expereince in their line up, ahead of a gruelling run of fixtures in the coming days.
Keylor Navas, who has featured in the majority of Real's Copa del Rey games this season, comes in for Thibaut Courtois in goal. Dani Carvajal and Raphael Varane, who were both suspended at the weekend come into the defence, alongside Marcelo, with Marcos Llorente and Lucas Vazquez returning.
Gareth Bale drops down to the bench, along with Dani Ceballos, Casemiro and Nacho Fernandez – with Sergio Reguilon omitted completely.
BARCELONA: Ter Stegen, Semedo, Pique, Lenglet, Alba, Busquets, Arthur, Rakitic, Coutinho, Suarez, Malcom
SUBS: Pena, Roberto, Murillo, Alena, Vidal, Prince-Boateng, Messi
REAL MADRID: Navas, Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo, Kroos, Llorente, Modric, Vazquez, Benzema, Vinicius
SUBS: Courtois, Nacho, Bale, Isco, Ceballos, Casemiro, Asensio
