Carlo not a happy Nou Camper

TESTING TIMES

The Italian's four visits to the 'Azulgranas' amphitheatre as a manager have yielded two defeats and two draws, and in the latter instances both counted for nothing as they spelled elimination from the Champions League.

Ancelotti's maiden experience in the Camp Nou dugout was in 2004, when his Milan team fell 2-1 during the Champions League group stage.

The 'Rossoneri' faced the Catalan giants once again in the semi-finals of the same competition in April 2006. Trailing 1-0 from the first leg, they could only manage a goalless draw which denied them a place in the final.

Carletto's third Camp Nou heartbreak came a round earlier in 2013, this time with PSG. A 2-2 draw in Paris was followed by a 1-1 stalemate in Barcelona, so Tito Vilanova's side progressed to the semis on away goals.

With last season's La Liga visit with Real Madrid ending in a 2-1 loss, will it be fifth time lucky for Ancelotti on Barça territory?

Barçelona has extra spring in their step

FIRED UP

Titles are on the line from now on in and, with the 'Clásico' just around the corner, the time has come to review how well Luis Enrique and Carlo Ancelotti have tackled their assignment.

Messi, the only 'One' to have played more than 3,000 minutes
The Asturian coach has used a total of 29 players in 42 matches spanning La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Champions League. The player to have racked up the most minutes on the field is, predictably, Leo Messi, with 3,532. The Argentine has only been rested for two games and a bench-sitter on just one occasion, for the infamous defeat at the Anoeta.

Jordi Alba is the second most regular player (2,867), followed by Neymar (2,677), Dani Alves (2,642), Gerard Piqué (2,640) and Javier Mascherano (2,621). Other 'Azulgranas' to break the 2,000-minute limit are Sergio Busquets (2,455), Ivan Rakitic (2,408), goalkeeper Claudio Bravo (2,340) and Luis Suárez, who has accumulated 2,286 minutes despite having missed the first eight games through suspension. Jérémy Mathieu, on 2,109 minutes, completes the most frequently played XI.

This year it is Andrés Iniesta who comes in as the 12th player in terms of minutes, with 2,034. The amount of accumulated minutes then drops off substantially, with Pedro on 1,762, Xavi on 1,544, Marc Bartra on 1,539, and Marc-André ter Stegen given 1,350. Rafinha also gets over the thousand mark, with 1,269. The members of Luis Enrique's squad to have seen the least action are Adriano (902), Munir (818), Martín Montoya (782) and Sergi Roberto (651). There have also been some marginal run-outs for Sergi Samper (285), Sandro (267), Douglas (235), Gerard Gumbau (90), third-string keeper Masip (90), Adama Traoré (78) and Alen Halilovic (28).

Less rotation at Real Madrid
Ancelotti has rotated far less than Luis Enrique, although that could perhaps be explained by his squad having seen key players injured in recent months. Carlo has lined up 28 different players in 43 games. Toni Kroos has been the most-picked Real Madrid player, heading into the 'Clásico' with 3,436 minutes of pitch time.

The BBC trio are clearly non-negotiable for the Italian - Cristiano has played 3,324 minutes, Bale 3,301 and Benzema 3,234. No. 1 Iker Casillas (3,150) and Marcelo (3,065) also get over the 3,000 mark. Isco has played 2,872 minutes, with Sergio Ramos on 2,497. The injured James is stuck at 2,401, while Pepe (2,398) and Varane (2,369) are practically on level pegging.

Bale tracks back in training

COMMITMENT TO DEFEND

The idea is that the players pull together to close up the spaces and quickly take up their positions after attacking. This is the famous rolling back that Carlo Ancelotti has been drumming into his players all week.

The importance of this strategy is in the minds of the staff as well as the players. In the dressing room, everyone is aware of just how important a good result at the Camp Nou would be for them. Such a result much depends on their ability to act in a synchronised, coordinated manner, the group having a lot more importance than any individual.

With this in mind, all eyes have been on Gareth Bale, who has come under a lot of fire for shying away from his defensive duties. Ancelotti, Clement and Hierro have all had words with the Welshman, reminding him to be careful, to not forget what he must do when Real don't have possession.

In Thursday's training session, such reminders seemed to have at last sunk in. The player was clearly more committed, tracking back when his team lost the ball and pressing hard. Such behaviour will be vital this Sunday. The Italian manager is putting the finishing touches to a system that must work to perfection at the Camp Nou if they are to win.

The 'Clásico', live on air... in the air..

CLASICO TO BE AIRED

The Turkish company has reached an agreement with Mediapro, who own the TV rights for both 'Clásico' participants, to score live footage of the world's biggest football match. Before now, only Premier League and Bundesliga fixtures had been shown on planes, so La Liga will get lift-off with its main event.

To boot, passengers will be able to watch this most exciting of occasions in top quality thanks to 4K technology, currently the highest resolution out there.

Turkish Airlines' decision to fork out for the 'Clásico' may be related to the fact that it currently sponsors both Barcelona and Leo Messi, though its deal with the club will conclude at the end of the season after the 'Azulgranas' signed up with Qatar Airways.

As ever, the showdown between La Liga's top two is eagerly awaited all over the globe and it can now be followed in more places and more ways than ever before, with broadcasters in some countries even requesting personalised feeds.

The Munich spirit

INSPIRATION FOR CLASSICO

That week, Carlo Ancelotti definitively won his players over. Real Madrid pulled off a historic victory against their nemesis, Bayern Munich. And they did so with a powerful display of great football and goals that infused them with confidence for the ensuing big final against Atlético. The players later revealed that what their manager said would happen out on the pitch was exactly what happened. There is no better way to show who's the boss than that.

Real Madrid are training intensely at Valdebebas, preparing for the 'Clásico'. Their manager is demanding of them commitment and faith in their ability to win in order to recover the magic of that historic night at the Allianz-Arena. Before the match, Guardiola's men, after only losing 1-0 in Spain, looked to be favourites, above all bearing in mind the hard time that 'Los Blancos' seemed to have of it on German soil.

Real Madrid will once again travel to a stadium that in theory has them at a disadvantage. They will be facing a Barça that are on top form and at their own ground. Far from hoping for a mere draw, Ancelotti is looking for a way to quite simply crush Luis Enrique's team. To do so, he is looking at the same concepts that led his team to go out and make a meal of the Bavarian set-up almost a year ago.

Cristiano Ronaldo, controller of his own destiny

COMMITTED

Cristiano Ronaldo is giving the powers that be at ​​the Santiago Bernabéu some sleepless nights right now.

Not because of his performance or commitment on the pitch, something that is beyond question, but because of what his current situation of unease might lead to, something he provided a clear glimpse of in the game against Levante.

The 'Los Blancos' management believe that Ronaldo's unrest will recede as the matches go on and the team's performance improves but, for now, concerns have resurfaced, with indications that his future at the club may be less than certain.

For those in the VIP box at the Bernabéu there is no question about a possible exit for the Portuguese star. They believe it would be difficult to find the 50 goals CR7 delivers each campaign anywhere else right now. It is true that Ronaldo is completing his sixth season at the club, that he is now 30 and that his knee issues are troubling but, at the moment, they are not thinking about any potential move for the former Manchester United player. In any case, it will be the player himself (his contract up in 2018) who decides his own destiny.

Moreover, the president and other executives are confident that his replacement is already part of the 'Los Blancos' dressing room, in the form of Bale, who they see as a very likely future Ballon d'Or candidate.

The board are confident that all this is a storm in a teacup and that Ronaldo will not consider a move. The truth is that the Portuguese player has not sent up any flares, as he did in 2012, when, feeling sad and upset, he asked Pérez if he could leave the club.