Real, Barca ready for El Clasico

Barcelona, Spain (SportsNetwork.com) - All eyes will be on the Bernabeu this weekend as Real Madrid will host Barcelona on Saturday in the latest installment of El Clasico.

The two clubs enter the weekend separated by just four points as Barcelona sits atop the table on 22 points.

The Catalans have yet to concede a goal in league play through eight matches, but Real Madrid comes into the contest as the more in-form side.

Madrid is on a five-game winning run in La Liga action that has seen the club dismantle opponents by a combined score of 25-3.

The Merengues even cruised past Liverpool in a comprehensive 3-0 victory at Anfield in Champions League action on Wednesday, but star-man Cristiano Ronaldo lamented the extra day of rest that Barcelona enjoyed after its 3-1 home defeat of Ajax on Tuesday.

"I don't really understand why we are playing on Saturday after having played tonight," Ronaldo told Spanish outlet AS following Madrid's win at Liverpool. "They don't take care of the details - El Clasico is the most important game.

"I don't get it. Big games like El Clasico need to be looked at in another way - it should really be played on Sunday, not Saturday. Any professional will tell you that it's not the same having two days to recover from a game like this than having three days."

Saturday's Clasico also could mark Luis Suarez's return to the pitch. The Uruguayan's four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup match this summer has come to an end, but with Barcelona proving to be a well-oiled machine in the early going of the season, it will be interesting to see if manager Luis Enrique opts to deploy the striker in such a high-profile contest.

Athletic Bilbao enjoyed an extra day of recuperation following a Champions League clash on Tuesday. Bilbao sits fourth from bottom in the Spanish top flight after a fourth-place finish last season, so the club will be seeking just its second win of the campaign on Saturday when it heads to Almeria.

Elsewhere on Saturday, fourth-place Valencia will hope to rebound from a disappointing defeat when it hosts Elche at the Mestalla, Real Sociedad will look to stop the rot when it heads to Cordoba and Granada will aim to halt its four-game slide when it travels to Eibar.

Sevilla has enjoyed an impressive start to the season, taking six wins from eight games to occupy second place in the table with 19 points. The club will hope to continue that tear on Sunday when it plays host to Villarreal.

Atletico Madrid cruised to a 5-0 defeat of Malmo in Champions League play on Wednesday, a roll the club will hope to translate to league action on Sunday when it heads to Getafe.

Also on Sunday, Malaga will welcome an in-form Rayo Vallecano side to La Rosaleda while Espanyol will play host to Deportivo.

Friday's lone contest saw Celta Vigo cruise to a 3-0 victory over Levante behind a brace from Joaquin Larrivey.