El Clasico Countdown: Best Barcelona Starting XI Pep Can Put Against Real Madrid

At the moment, Barcelona are three points behind their eternal rivals, Real Madrid. This is the first time during Pep Guardiola's era that they are three points behind Madrid at this time of the season. Is it a matter of concern? Pep Guardiola doesn't think so. He looks as calm as ever, as focused as ever and, most importantly, as satisfied with his team as ever!

Real Madrid boast the most expensive squad ever put together in the history of football. On the other hand, Barcelona can boast that most of their squad members were brought up through their very own academy, La Masia. Either way, both have two of the deepest squads in Europe.

It is definitely quite difficult to predict Guardiola's lineup because he frequently borrows players from the reserve team. Who would have expected an unknown Issac Cuenca to start for a couple of league games except the great Pep himself?

But here goes an attempt!

GOALKEEPER

Victor Valdes

In super form! Valdes is 900-plus minutes without conceding a goal, hasn't let in a single goal at Camp Nou this season and Barcelona fans think he deserves to start for the Spanish national team. Must be giving quite a headache to Del Bosque.

DEFENDERS

Abidal, Mascherano, Pique, Alves

During Puyol's long absence, Barcelona fans feared their defence would be feeble. They all wanted Pep to sign a defender instead of Cesc. Mascherano has played really well and has, in fact, made the centre-back position his own. Yes, even ahead of the great man who Barcelona fans adore.

Puyol's mere presence makes quite a difference, I agree, but his body cannot match his passion and he cannot run as much as will be required. Mascherano will be a safer bet, but expect Puyol to play the final 15 to 20 minutes.

Abidal and Alves currently seem irreplaceable. Adriano played a decent couple of games, but it will take a lot more to replace these two. Alves will be expected to quiet Cristiano Ronaldo like he has done in the past. Pep will further instruct him to limit his marauding runs and stay behind so as to stop Madrid's attack on the counter.

Pique is one of the world's best defenders at the moment, but needs to better his coordination with Mascherano.

MIDFIELDERS

Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta

Sergio Busquets has made the defensive midfielder (DM) position his own. With Mascherano playing further down, the only other choice would be Keita, but it isn't his normal position. Busquets brings a lot of stability to the team. He is probably one of the most underrated players around, and his distribution and passing skills easily sync with Barcelona's famous tiki-taka.

Xavi and Iniesta need no introduction. The pair, along with Messi, made the three candidates for the Ballon d' Or award last year and are prime candidates for this year's award as well.

With a luxury in midfield at his disposal, Guardiola will not risk benching one of them as he so often does these days. He will want to field the strongest XI. Xavi is Barcelona's brain and Iniesta could prove the difference-maker and bring life to a seemingly dead game. Who can forget Stanford Bridge 2009 and the 2010 World Cup finals?

Thiago will probably have to start on the bench.

FORWARDS

Villa, Messi, Cesc

Yes, Villa has not been in the best of forms lately, but he is known to improve his game when the team needs him most. He is definitely a big-game player and can score amazing goals. He is one of the finest strikers around and forms a good partnership with Messi. He also scored an amazing goal the last time these two sides met.

Is there anything that needs to be said about Messi? His magic (or absence of it) will probably be the game decider at the end of 90 minutes. He will play the entire game as he so usually does. Cesc has been a great value addition. He strikes the perfect chord with Messi and has an amazing ability to be at the right place at the right time. He not only creates goals, he scores as well, making him inevitable.

Pedro will have to start on the bench because of his recent form, as will Alexis unless he makes himself more match-ready. If he is not injured, expect him to play the final 20 minutes. He could be a game-changing power-sub.

A possible starter on the bench could be the talented Issac Cuenca. He has started four games already, scored a neat goal and created a few and seems to headed the right way at Barcelona.