How Beating Eibar Prepared Barcelona for the Upcoming El Clasico Showdown

It was a tough night at the Camp Nou, as Barcelona found stiff competition from newly promoted side Eibar. The Basque visitors made things very difficult for the hosts throughout but were no match for the quality of the Blaugrana, who eventually put three goals past keeper Xabi Irureta.

With El Clasico against Real Madrid just seven days away, it was understandable for the Catalans to be a bit distracted. It was clear that they were not all there against Eibar, but they still managed to come away with the three points.

Regardless of the difficult start to the match, beating Eibar at the Camp Nou prepared Barcelona for the upcoming trip to the Santiago Bernabeu.

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To begin with, the defense performed well yet again. Of course, the back line wasn't perfect, as Eibar did have their chances, but the Catalans did walk away with another clean sheet. Gerard Pique and Jeremy Mathieu formed a strong pair in the center of the back line, while Dani Alves and Jordi Alba did a solid job of timing their forward runs.

The defense has improved greatly under Luis Enrique and will have to be in top form to handle the Real Madrid attack on Saturday. It is true that Eibar’s attack was nothing like what they will face in Madrid, but it was a test to make sure the defenders were fresh after the international break.

That being said, it was also helpful for a few players to get a rest before the upcoming clash.

Midfielder Sergio Busquets received a well-deserved night off with Javier Mascherano returning to his pivot role. Andres Iniesta also got to start the game on the bench but came on in the second half, which could be good to ensure that his legs are ready to go on Saturday.

However, it was the willingness to win and determination to get the result that shows that Barcelona’s mindset is exactly where it needs to be.

As the match drew closer and closer to the final whistle, stars like Lionel Messi, Neymar and Xavi turned on the quality for which they are well-known.

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Messi assisted Barcelona’s first goal and added one of his own a bit later, while Neymar continued his fine scoring form as well. Barcelona refused to give up and fought through the staunch Eibar defense to ensure victory on the night.

The Catalans will need that mindset when they face Real Madrid if they are going to come away with three points. Things will certainly be difficult at the Bernabeu, which means Barcelona must be ready for a fight, as they always are when it comes to El Clasico.

All of this aside, the biggest storyline heading into El Clasico is Lionel Messi’s soon-to-be goalscoring record.

After netting his goal against Eibar, Messi is just one goal away from setting the all-time scoring record in La Liga history. Carrying that weight into El Clasico may very well be the biggest pre-match storyline in the history of this great rivalry.

When Saturday finally arrives, both teams will be ready. Barcelona and Real Madrid have been playing at an enormously high level over the past few months, and neither will be looking to settle for a draw.

Messi could set this unbelievable record at the Santiago Bernabeu, or Los Blancos could keep him from his destiny. It can’t get any better than this.

Will Messi set the record in El Clasico? Who will win Saturday's meeting? Leave your thoughts and comments below!