Luis Enrique: "Just by the look on Messi's face... they're up for this"

Luis Enrique spoke to the press just 27 hours before 'El Clásico'.

How's the team looking going into this? “We're going into in the best possible way because this is a game which invites you to be at 100 per cent. And because all of the players, apart from Jérémy (Mathieu) have returned safe and and in perfect conditions. We're motivated and thinking about tomorrow's game”.

The 'MSN' have built up more air miles that the 'BBC' during this international break. Is that a concern?: “I'm not worried by tiredness. These kind of games generated such energy for the players that I am not concerned in the slightest”.

What kind of game are you expecting tomorrow, one in which Madrid sits back and waits, or one in which you really go for them? “Basing it on what we've seen of Madrid in the last few games, they have different options. They could lie back in wait or press us high up, and those are the two things we will need to resolve tomorrow. Changing the way we play would be ridiculous. There's only one ball and we have to make it ours. We need to be effective and stop our rivals from getting into tgheir stride”.

Will Tuesday's game against Atlético be a distraction? “Is there a game on Tuesday? No, no that won't have any influence. The only game that matters is tomorrow's”.

Ter Stegen says he'd like to play more: “I've got nothing to say on anything which isn't related to tomorrow's game. Nobody is interested - the fans don't care, and nor do I”.

Tribute to Cruyff. “Barça have a competitive spirit which makes us bombproof. Our motivation must be as high as possible. Against Real Madrid, for being our eternal rivals, that should be easy. What Cruyff would have liked would be a spectacular game of football”.

A Madrid win would put them back in the title race? “I'm not a fortune teller, I don't know what'll happen tomorrow. I'm not that interested. All that interests me is winning the game, not the things which I can't control".

How's Messi? He's one goal away from scoring his 500th goal as a professional: “The figure is out of this world, from another galaxy. 500 goals... even if you included the ones scored on the training pitch, most other players wouldn't get anywhere near that. I can tell just by looking at Leo's face that they're all really up for this; they're crazy to win tomorrow and give the fans some happiness”.

Aleix said he'd settle for another 4-0: “4-0? Some questions don't even deserve an answer".

What does it means to be a team's eternal rivals? "It's a rivalry well understood within the parameters of sport. There's nothing that gets a culé going more than beating Real Madrid".