MADRID, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have to pick themselves up, dust themselves down and play each other for the second time in four days when they meet in the Santiago Bernabeu in the Liga Santander on Saturday.
Wednesday saw Luis Suarez score twice as Barca stunned Real Madrid 3-0 in the Bernabeu to book their place in the final of the Copa del Rey and slam the door on another title for Real Madrid.
Barca will return to Madrid with a nine-point lead over Madrid in the league, knowing that even a defeat would still leave them six-points clear of their historic rivals.
Real Madrid will be without central defender Nacho Fernandez through suspension, which means Rafael Varane's fitness is important after he ended Wednesday with a nasty looking knock to his shin.
Meanwhile Manuel Llorente is still side-lined with a muscle problem and Sergio Reguilon looks likely to continue at left back ahead of Marcelo, although with Madrid facing Ajax in the Champions League in midweek, both Marcelo and Alvaro Ordiozola could have a chance, giving Madrid more attacking projection, but leaving them more open at the back.
Wednesday's defeat was a blow to Santiago Solari's credibility as Madrid coach and although a second defeat would probably not precipitate his departure (as defeat to Barca did for Julen Lopetegui after the 5-1 thrashing Madrid suffered in the Camp Nou earlier this season), it would probably mean Solari not continuing as coach after the end of the campaign.
Madrid controlled much of Wednesday's game only for poor finishing to let them down and Barcelona will have to find a way to deal with Vinicius Jr on Saturday.
The good news for Barca is that they won on Wednesday without being near their best, something coach Ernesto Valverde admitted after the final whistle.
Valverde isn't expected to make many changes to the team that won in midweek, but he does have the habit of springing the odd surprise and his surprises often work out.
Samuel Untiti could return in central defense, while the Barca boss may well have concluded that Sergi Roberto may offer more solutions against Vinicius that Nelson Semedo, while Arthur Melo's return to full fitness offers him another midfield option.
Leo Messi was a long way from his best in midweek, but the Argentinean's presence helped create space for Ousmane Dembele and Madrid fans will be all-too aware that Messi rarely has two consecutive bad days.
