Lionel Messi Talks El Clasico, Luis Suarez's Barcelona Debut and Substitutions

Lionel Messi is looking forward to linking up with Luis Suarez during Saturday's Clasico fixture with Real Madrid, a match in which the Barcelona star insists a win is more important than his breaking Telmo Zarra's all-time La Liga goalscoring record.

Messi is one goal away from equalling the total of 251 domestic division strikes which has stood for over half a century. It would be symbolic if he netted a brace to beat Los Blancos and capture the highest-ever total at the Bernabeu, but such an achievement isn't in the player's mind ahead of kick-off.

As reported by Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, Messi is only craving three points: "We will go there to do the best possible and to win. Nothing will be decided, and there will still be a lot of Liga left, but we will go to try and win and to play well. Zarra's record is the least important thing, what matters is to play well and win there."

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The upcoming showdown is also notable for the competitive debut of Suarez, who is set to make his first official start for Barcelona since joining in the summer. Having recently served a four-month ban after biting Italian centre-back Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup, Suarez is free to aid the Blaugrana's title challenge from Saturday's fixture.

Messi is looking forward to working alongside the former Liverpool striker, particularly because Suarez has been forced to wait so long to make an impression.

"We are all really looking forward to the arrival of Luis," Messi said, per Corrigan. "He will bring a lot of strength to the team. He is a forward who scores a lot of goals. I am happy as he has spent a lot of time without getting onto the pitch."

Spanish football expert Guillem Balague offered his thoughts on Suarez's debut to B/R UK's Ryan Bailey:

Barca boss Luis Enrique prepared his side for the Clasico by allowing Messi and Neymar plenty of rest during Tuesday's Champions League win against Ajax. Both scored in the first half and were sacrificed after an hour, keeping them fresh ahead of the trip to the Spanish capital.

Messi caused an intense media reaction when it appeared he refused to be substituted during the 3-0 win over Eibar on Saturday. Enrique played down the situation and said, "During the course of the season he'll be rested," per AS.

There was no repeat of Messi's reported refusal against Ajax. After the match, the 27-year-old indicated the situation has been blown out of proportion, per Corrigan: "Lots of things have been said. But when the boss needs to take me off, he takes me off, no problem."

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Sacrificing key players so early in tough fixtures is always a risk. While Ajax threatened to get back in the game late on with a goal from Anwar El Ghazi, Sandro completed the win with an instant response. Enrique's slight gamble—as Ajax rarely threatened to win the match—paid off.

It was certainly a smart time to rest both Messi and Neymar. Suarez's arrival into the team means Barca's front three can now work at a lightning pace.

The Uruguayan loves to keep the ball close to his feet, evading danger with instinctive touches and bursts of pace. Both Messi and Neymar are likely to cover more ground when supporting Suarez, particularly as Madrid are likely to close pockets of space at the back. Fresh legs will certainly be in Barca's favour, as Carlo Ancelotti's side go into the Clasico with one day less to rest.

Messi appears to be in a good place right now, so it's easy to see why Enrique wants to ensure he doesn't stutter with fatigue. The manager's ability to keep Leo sharp could dictate where the Spanish title ends up this season, as it's no coincidence Barcelona failed to win a trophy after his lengthy injury spell last term.