Barcelona welcome Real Madrid to Camp Nou on Wednesday evening for the first of three clashes between the heavyweight clubs in the space of three weeks.
As well as facing off in a potentially huge La Liga clash at the beginning of next month, the El Clasico rivals also lock horns in the Copa del Rey semi-final, beginning with this first leg in Catalonia.
Barca are sweating on the fitness of star man Lionel Messi for the opening 90 minutes as the Argentine forward picked up an injury in the 2-2 draw with Valencia last time out.
Messi scored twice in that thrilling match and will be given every chance of being fit in time for Wednesday's first leg against Real.
With that in mind, Sports Mole looks at the five-time Ballon d'Or winner's record in this fixture down the years.
Messi has come up against Madrid on six previous occasions in the Copa del Rey and has yet to score - incredible for a player boasting the goalscoring stats that he does.
The 31-year-old started the finals in 2010-11 and 2013-14, as well as both legs of the quarter-finals and semi-finals in 2011-12 and 2012-13 respectively, without finding the back of the net.
That is in contrast to a return of 18 goals in 24 La Liga meetings, including a goal in each of the last three such encounters, two goals in two Champions League matches and six goals in six Supercopa outings.
Messi will be now keen to end his scoring drought against Real in the domestic cup, totalling 570 minutes on the field without breaching Los Blancos' defence, when the sides meet in midweek.
Daniel Lewis
