The teams may not be as star-studded as they once were, but there are still few, if any, games on the European calendar with quite the prestige of El Clasico. Barcelona and Real Madrid, the two perennial champions of Spain, face off at the Camp Nou with plenty more than pride at stake.

Madrid are three points off Real Sociedad at the top of La Liga with a game in hand, but a win for Ronald Koeman's side would see them leapfrog their great rivals and perhaps set them on course for a title bid that many doubted would materialize after the loss of Lionel Messi. Here is how you can watch the match and what you need to know:

How to watch

Date: Sunday, Oct. 24 | Time: 10:15 a.m. ET
Location: Camp Nou -- Barcelona, Spain
TV and live stream: ESPN+
Odds: Barcelona +170; Draw +270; Real Madrid +145 (via Caesars Sportsbook)

Storylines

Barcelona: A first Clasico without Lionel Messi on the books for a generation does dawn with at least a degree of optimism around the Camp Nou after what has proven to be a gruelling autumn. The emergence of Gavi has coincided with the return to form and fitness of Ansu Fati, who followed Pedri in signing a new contract with a €1 billion release clause earlier this week. The young Spanish forward has played a key role in Barcelona securing back to back wins for the first time this season, first against Valencia and then Dynamo Kyiv.

Ansu's form ought to ease the reliance on Memphis Depay for goals while Sergio Aguero's appearances off the bench means that Ronald Koeman has options as he looks to for the wins that would give his stuttering regime a much needed boost.

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Real Madrid: Koeman is not the only manager whose squad is swelling in numbers, with Carlo Ancelotti able to welcome Toni Kroos back into the fold over the last three games. It was perhaps no surprise that with the steady hands of the German, Luka Modric and Casemiro in midfield Madrid were able to cut loose in midweek, running five goals past Shakhtar Donetsk.

Certainly, they offer a firm platform for Vinicius Jr. to embellish. The young Brazilian already has one more goal this season than the six he scored last and seems to have a habit of delivering on the most important occasions. Few could argue with that if he nets in El Clasico.

Prediction

In even contests such as this one experience can often prove to be the decisive factor; Madrid's veteran midfield might just set the platform for them to see off Barcelona. PICK: Barcelona 0, Real Madrid 2