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The respective fortunes of FC Barcelona and Real Madrid have changed dramatically in recent weeks and the Catalans’ momentum going into the biggest game of the season, in stark contrast to that of their rivals’, makes them clear favorites.

Barcelona's shock 1-0 defeat to Malaga just three weeks ago cast huge doubt over their title hopes as Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of the table to four points. 

Since the first meeting between the two sides, in which Real Madrid comprehensively defeated their sworn enemy 3-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, La Liga looked to be taking a one-way road to Cibeles. 

How quickly fortunes can change in La Liga. Up until the Christmas break, Real Madrid looked invincible but the defeat against Valencia in early January, which saw their 22-match winning streak come to an abrupt end, has sent them off course. And even after Barcelona’s slip against Malaga handed Madrid a huge advantage, a draw and a defeat for Carlo Ancelotti’s men in their next two games has seen the pendulum swing back towards Barcelona and gives Luis Enrique’s side the chance to take a four point lead at the top.

Confidence and impetus are huge forces in football and, currently, Barcelona are at optimum levels in both, while the opposite can be said of their adversaries. 

Lionel Messi’s recent exhibition against Manchester City underpinned his current form – the Argentine maestro is arguably playing the best football of his life and if he turns up in a similar mood on Sunday, Madrid will be in for a long evening. 

Since Cristiano Ronaldo was named FIFA Ballon d’Or in January, the respective form of the two, much like their clubs, has taken a very different path. Ronaldo’s penalty back in the first Clasico of the campaign was his 16th league goal, nine more than Messi at the time and, in November, the Portuguese superstar opened a 13 goal margin between himself and his great nemesis. 

Losing out on the prestigious individual title seems to have galvanized Messi and has left Ronaldo in his shadow – 20 goals in 2015, including three hat-tricks, has seen Messi surpass Ronaldo by two goals both in the league charts (32) and in all competitions (43). 

Add that to Neymar’s reliability and Luis Suarez’s purple patch and you are looking at the meanest trio in world football. All three have scored over ten goals in 2015, with a combined total of 42 between them. The same cannot be said about Real Madrid’s front three who, with 20 goals together, have less than half as many as Barça’s attack.

Elsewhere, Gerard Pique, who was struggling to get into the side in the early weeks of Luis Enrique’s reign and sloppily gave away the penalty at the Bernabeu is now back to his best, as too is Andres Iniesta.

Enrique sprung a number of surprise tactical changes for the first Clasico of the season which ultimately back fired. Luis Suarez was thrown into the side for his first team debut, Rakitic was benched while Jeremy Mathieu played at left-back ahead of Jordi Alba.

Fewer changes are expected this time around with the manager having found the right formula which best suits the team, though Enrique may be obligated to make one big omission.

The only major concern for Barcelona ahead of this weekend’s duel is the fitness of Sergio Busquets – the midfielder is expected to make the squad but how much of a part he will play remains doubtful after an ankle injury which has ruled him out of the last three matches. 

Barça are always better off with Busquets in his side and his composure, anticipation and organizational skills are of huge importance in games of this magnitude. With Xavi no longer a regular starter, Busquets’ importance has further increased this campaign. In the midweek Champions League clash against Manchester City, the side lost its organization in the center of midfield which allowed the visitors plenty of chances to get back in the tie. While Javier Mascherano is one of the best in his position, Busquets provides a balance like no other player in the game and his absence would be a huge loss if he were to miss out.

Barcelona cannot underestimate the wounded animal that is Real Madrid, who have the quality to inflict damage to any defense. Yet recent results have given the game a different narrative to what it would have had if Real had not slipped off the pace.

In Catalonia, the locals tend to maintain a degree of pessimism but, with Barça peaking just before the most important date of the Spanish league calendar, an air of optimism should hang over the Camp Nou on Sunday.