‘Copa del Rey is the third target, but tomorrow it will be the first one, because nobody plays to lose. We want two more games in February.’ – Jose Mourinho.

There’s been much debate over how important the Copa del Rey double-header between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be. Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas says the duel has become “a little decaffeinated” thanks to the frequent nature of their meetings in recent years – Wednesday night’s quarter-final first leg clash will be the fourth time the sides have met already this season and the eighth time in less than nine months.

But while some argue that there can sometimes be too much of a good thing, Mourinho’s comments in the pre-match press conference hit the nail on the head. Everyone knows the King’s Cup is third on the list of priorities for both clubs this season – behind La Liga and the Champions League – but it’ll be first on the list of priorities come Wednesday evening at the Bernabeu, especially because the Catalans are in town.

One dramatic come-from-behind midweek cup win, Iker Casillas has a street named after him, and Real Madrid beat Barcelona. Los Blancos have yet to return to La Liga action following the winter break but the week leading up to Saturday’s clash against Granada at the Bernabeu has been anything but quiet.

Okay, so Madrid’s ‘Clasico’ victory wasn’t in the football, it was in the basketball. But maybe, just maybe, it’ll be a sign of things to come in the second half of La Liga (okay, I admit, it has no bearing at all – we can but hope) as Madrid look to maintain the form that saw them top the table, three points ahead of Barca, going into 2012.

Nothing less than three points will do against the Andalusian side for Jose Mourinho and his men as they look to kick-start 2012 in the league in the same they ended it – with a convincing victory.

Visit the official Real Madrid website this week and you’ll see the headline: Mourinho: “We’ve done very well so far this season”. A slightly bland assessment of the campaign, especially for a charismatic man such as Mourinho, but a level-headed and pretty much spot-on assessment nevertheless.

It’s been over a week since my last blog update. A decision to let the dust settle on my post-match Clasico post more than anything. And there was plenty dust left to settle, I’m sure you’ll agree. It was my intention to post an article on Ronaldo, and his poor performance against Barcelona, and to also have a look at the importance of the game against Sevilla – the final league game before the winter break.

Good job I didn’t write that Ronaldo article, eh?!

I couldn’t resist going on the Barcelona website just now to see their perspective of tomorrow’s Clásico. If my internet had hands, I’d make sure they were washed twice over, don’t worry about that. On a serious note, clicking on the ‘El Clásico’ section of their official site points you straight in the direction of Barca’s memorable wins against Madrid, and it doesn’t make pretty reading for Madridistas, as you’d expect. Of course, we all know history and statistics points to Los Blancos being the more successful of the two Spanish giants, something Barca fans can’t argue with. The thing that strikes you is their more recent ‘memorable’ games – the 5-0 at the Camp Nou last season and the 6-2 at the Bernabeu in 2009.

I won’t take anything away from Barca for their successes in those two games, and their trophy successes in recent seasons where they have been, unfortunately, ‘top dogs’ in Spanish football, in Europe and possibly, the world. What I can take from paining myself on the Barcelona official site is that tomorrow’s game is huge, a possible ‘tide-turner’ in the bitter rivalry between Los Blancos and the Catalans.

In day two of my preview ahead of Saturday’s big one at the Bernabeu, I look at the key men who can make the difference for Los Blancos against their bitter rivals on the day. From defence, to midfield and attack Madrid have been superb so far this season as a team but as they say, a match such as the Clásico can be won by a moment of magic, or lost by a moment of madness.

I was keen to put my preferred starting eleven forward today, but with the Champions League game at Ajax still to be played (yes, Madrid may have breezed through their group and won it at a canter, but there’s still one game left to play in Holland…), I thought it wise to wait until after it. While Jose Mourinho is expected to put a weakened team out at the Amsterdam ArenA, some first team players that are likely to be in Saturday’s squad could still feature, and I wouldn’t want to put the curse on anyone before the big one.