Barcelona are hoping to break a record as well as inflict defeat on rivals Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of the season on Saturday.

The Spanish giants meet in the capital, with Barca currently four points clear of their rivals at the top of the table – thanks to a 3-0 home win over top-flight newcomers Eibar.

Lionel Messi scored the final goal, adding to efforts from Xavi and Neymar, to bring his La Liga tally to 250 – putting him one behind all-time top scorer Telmo Zarra of Athletic Bilbao.

The game is also set to mark Luis Suarez’s first Barca appearance, with the ex-Liverpool striker having served his four-month ban.

Real superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has already broken a record, however – the hottest scoring start to a Spanish top-flight season.

The ex-Manchester United icon scored twice in a 5-0 thrashing of Levante, which made it 15 goals in seven games – beating Esteban Echevarria’s record of 14 for Real Oviedo set in 1943.

Barca boss Luis Enrique said: “We will be going to Real to win, as we have done over the last few years. But I don’t think the game will be decisive.”

Luis Suarez’s appearance for Barcelona B against Indonesia U19s earlier this week ended with the Uruguayan scoring two goals but also sparked a debate over his weight.

The striker appeared heavier than usual in some pictures—perhaps a reflection that he has not been able to play anything but the occasional friendly since his four-month ban for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini at the World Cup.

In Spain, the debate was particularly keen, with Friday’s lead story in El Mundo Deportivo suggesting that a special programme was being designed to get Suarez back in shape for his return later next month:

Barca boss Luis Enrique, asked about the rumours, denied all.

According to quotes from Goal, Enrique said: “Suarez overweight? Not at all, that’s just press talk. That’s his normal weight, he was like that in Liverpool too.”

Whether he’s at his optimum weight, he’ll certainly have some rustiness to shake off before making his debut in the Clasico.

With two defeats in their opening three games Madrid had come into the game languishing in mid-table but Ronaldo rose to the occasion with a towering header for the first goal.

He also scored the third giving Madrid a 3-1 lead at half time and when the home side dared to edge back into the game at the start of the second half Gareth Bale finished them off with a quick double.

He now has four goals this season and Ronaldo, who scored a hat-trick continues his incredible goal a game record.

Ronaldo completed his hat-trick from another Isco pass and there was still time for Hernandez to get in on the act. ‘Chicharito’ had replaced Bale and he hammered home from the edge of the area to score his first and repeated the trick in injury time to make it 8-2.

Carlo Ancelotti’s early season crisis at Real Madrid intensified as the European Cup holders were beaten 2-1 by Atletico Madrid leaving them six points behind leaders Barcelona having lost two of their opening three games of the season.

They were booed and whistled off the pitch at the end of the game after a tame second half where they showed an alarming lack of spirit and imagination against a dogged Atletico Madrid side.

Cristiano Ronaldo scored his 13th goal against Atletico Madrid but Gareth Bale looked lost in Real’s new 4-4-2 formation and was a taken off midway through the second half.

Arda Turan finishes in the bottom-left corner to gift Atletico Madrid the 2-1 win over their fierce rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu on Saturday night.

Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez made his debut in the second half, but failed to bring his new team the three points and Ancelotti will now be under pressure to knock his 500million euro squad into shape ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League opener against Basle.

Elsewhere in La Liga, Neymar came off the bench to score twice as Barcelona defeated a stubborn Athletic Bilbao to maintain their 100% start to the season.

The Brazilian, making his second Barca appearance since injuring his back at the World Cup, came on in the 63rd minute for a struggling home side.

He quickly made his presence felt with a neat finish following Lionel Messi’s pass to break Bilbao’s resistance.

And he sealed the win with a close-range finish from another Messi assist.

The goals were the 22-year-old’s first since 26 March, when he scored twice in a 3-0 home win over Celta Vigo, and mean Barca have now won all three of their opening games this campaign.

The two sides continue a rivalry that has become one of the best and most intense in Europe when they meet in an early La Liga clash at the Bernabeu on Saturday.

Madrid manager, Ancelotti revealed that Ronaldo, who missed Portugal’s shock defeat by Albania and Real’s loss to Sociedad on Sunday with an unspecified injury is in good form.

“My confidence lies on two pillars,” said Ancelotti ahead of the visit of champions Atletico.

“I have a group of professionals that are very concentrated and Cristiano scores a goal a game.”

He added: “Cristiano is on top form. He is in optimal condition. He doesn’t have a chronic injury.”

Rivalry between the two Madrid teams has become one of the most competitive, a far cry from the all-too recent calamitous spell in Atlético’s history when they went 13 years without beating their illustrious neighbors.

Atlético’s extraordinary rise under Diego Simeone has played a part in the derby not only taking on far more meaning than just local pride but also becoming far more frequent. When the two sides meet on Saturday, it will be the seventh time they have faced off this year.

While Real Madrid may have to adapt following their summer transfer business, so too will Atlético Madrid.

Unlike their rivals, the changes undergone by Atlético were largely enforced, no thanks to the loss of Diego Costa, Filipe Luis and Thibaut Courtois to Chelsea, while the likes of David Villa and Diego have also departed.

It would be easy to predict that such losses would result in the end of Atlético punching above their weight against their far richer rivals in Spain — Real Madrid and Barcelona — but they have invested strongly and have perhaps emerged with a stronger squad in terms of depth.

France had an effort from Karim Benzema ruled out for offside early in the second half and scored in the 72nd minute when winger Mathieu Valbuena set up substitute Loic Remy for his sixth international goal.

With all-time leading scorer David Villa among the big names to have retired from international football, Spain looked tame in attack against World Cup quarterfinalist France, which fielded a strong side.

Spain didn’t make any serious effort at goal until the 83rd minutes as David Silva’s shot drifted just wide, but otherwise failed to hit the target once.

Altogether, five Spaniards made their debuts at Stade de France, including Athletic Bilbao defensive midfielder Ander Iturraspe and Valencia forward Paco Alcacer in the second half.

Only three prominent players from Spain’s glory era started: Midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Busquets, and center half Sergio Ramos – meaning Spain looked fragile. Fabregas did some damage, particularly when running at the heart of France’s defense, but lacked support.

With veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas in the reserves, David de Gea made only his third appearance despite having played for Atletico and Manchester United for five years.

Messi’s characteristic brace was achieved without the suspended Luis Suarez and the injured Neymar but he had more than enough help from Madrid born youngster Munir El Hadaddi.

The young striker will not be 19 until September 1 but already has Barça fans predicting a big future – if he can stay in the side when Neymar and Suarez return.

Barcelona have now scored 26 goals in their last six opening matches and not since 2008 have they been beaten on the opening day.

That front three of Munir, Rafinha and Messi was a clean sweep for the club’s La Masia youth academy as Barcelona kicked-off the season with the entire bench and six of the starters products of its youth system.G

Money might buy a club the best players from the last World Cup but Atletico Madrid’s motivation and organisation continued to be absolutely priceless and it was too much for Carlo Ancelotti’s confused European Champions who were behind after 80 seconds and never found a way back.

With the league season due to start this weekend all is not as it should be for Ancelotti.

Midfielder Sami Khedira went to watch his brother play in Germany, Angel Di Maria was left out of the squad completely, and the Argentine is now being tempted by bitter rivals, Barcelona, while Cristiano Ronaldo was left on the bench not fit to start.

With no Ronaldo or Di Maria the onus was very much on Bale who has been Real Madrid’s best player in pre-season but before the Welshman could have an impact a defence strangely missing the benched Pepe was embarrassed by Atletico’s first attack.

According to reports in Spain, a representative from the Catalan club made the offer to their bitter rivals for Di Maria on Friday.

However, there are indications that Real president Florentino Perez refused to even negotiate the possible transfer.

Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti had confirmed during the week that the winger wants to leave the club.

He said: “The Argentine is a Real Madrid player until the end of the transfer window.

“It’s surprised me to ready that there have been disagreements between myself and the club. There are no disagreements and both parties are thinking the same way.

“Di María has asked to leave and has rejected a new contract offer from the club.

“This is a situation the player himself has to resolve. If he doesn’t seek a solution for his future, he’ll keep working with us and there won’t be any problems.”

Di Maria is thought to want a wage increase but Perez has refused to meet his demands.

Barcelona hope to pull off the incredible deal due to the stand-off between the player and the club.

Manchester United were thought to be in the clear to sign the Argentine after PSG pulled out of the race.

The Catalan giants had tried to overturn a two-window ban which was handed down in April because of concerns about the international transfer of young players.

The embargo had been put on hold due to an appeal, which allowed Barcelona to buy five players for over £110m this summer – including Luis Suarez from Liverpool.

But FIFA has announced that the appeal had failed and insisted the Spanish side would not be able to make any more signings until January 2016.

However, Barca have vowed to continue the fight and will now take their case to CAS – the highest sporting legal court.