Real Madrid's Karim Benzema (right) attends a training session with teammates in Madrid yesterday, a day ahead of their 'Clasico' match against Barcelona. (Reuters)

AFP/Madrid


Real Madrid coach Rafael Benitez has welcomed having his full squad available for just the second time this season for today’s huge game against Barcelona.
Benitez confirmed all of Karim Benzema, Sergio Ramos and Keylor Navas have recovered from injuries with all three likely to start. Benzema hasn’t played for six weeks due to a hamstring injury, but has also subsequently been plagued by off-field issues. The striker was charged with complicity to blackmail and conspiring to commit a criminal act in his native France in a case involving a sex tape featuring international teammate Mathieu Valbuena.
“If Benzema is in the squad is it for a reason. Tomorrow we will evaluate how he is and decide what is best for him and the team,” said Benitez. “It is the second time we have had everyone available. I have a winning team that has the capacity to still get better.
“That everyone is fit gives us greater competition. It is important everyone is in the squad and available to play.”
Barca come into the game with a three-point lead at the top of the table thanks to Madrid’s first defeat of the season at Sevilla last time out.
However, despite Barca also welcoming back four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi from a two-month injury layoff, Benitez insisted home advantage makes Madrid favourites.
“We are playing in our stadium with our fans, so I think Madrid are the favourites. We are confident from what we have seen in training. It will be a difficult game, but a great one for the fans.”
The match will be played under unprecedented security measures after a string of deadly attacks in Paris a week ago that killed 129 people.
A total of 1,200 police officers will be deployed around the stadium, six times the usual number for a game classified as presenting a high security risk.
However, Benitez said it was more important to show solidarity with the French people than be worried about security for the game. “What most worries me is what is happening at a worldwide level. We need to show solidarity with those affected,” Benitez added. “We trust in the people in charge, I am quite confident everything will be ok and we can enjoy the match.”
Across Europe’s major leagues security forces will be keeping a close watch on top games where the 129 victims of the French attacks on November 13 will again be commemorated.
The police force at the La Liga clash in the Spanish capital is six times higher than the usual deployment for a game that is classified as a high security risk.
A minute’s silence will be held before all La Liga matches. Real Madrid fans have called off their usual fan display of banners out of respect to the victims.
Madrid saw its own terror carnage in December 2004 when 191 people were killed in bomb attacks. Two years before that the Basque separatist group ETA planted a car bomb near the Madrid stadium ahead of a Champions League semi-final between Madrid and Barcelona causing 17 injuries. The game still went ahead.