BARCELONA — Real Madrid looked poised to sweep Barcelona away in La Liga after beating it so comprehensively in the Spanish Super Cup in August yet by the end of Saturday’s ‘Clasico’ it could be a remarkable 14 points behind its bitter rival.

Coach Zinedine Zidane has overseen Real’s worst run of results in the league in nine seasons and his side go into Saturday’s encounter at the Santiago Bernabeu sitting fourth in the standings, 11 points adrift of Barca albeit having played one game fewer.

It is a scenario few could have foreseen after Real won a Liga and Champions League double last term and began this season so convincingly.

Seemingly the only positive Real will take onto the pitch Saturday is that it is still world champion after retaining the Club World Cup last weekend with victory against Gremio in the final.

Barca coach Ernesto Valverde looked in a vulnerable position in August after the resounding 5-1 aggregate defeat to Real so soon after succeeding Luis Enrique, especially with Brazil forward Neymar having left for Paris St Germain.

Yet the Spaniard has moulded the team into a highly resilient outfit which is unbeaten in its last 24 games in all competitions.

The Catalans are six points clear of nearest challenger Atletico Madrid.

Barca may not have the same creative spark as in recent seasons and havs on occasion been accused of being boring, but it has developed a tougher edge under former Athletic Bilbao coach Valverde, conceding only seven goals in 16 games.

“After losing the Super Cup we knew that we had to work as hard as ever and all follow Valverde, who I think has started to leave his stamp on the team,” Barca goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen told Spanish newspaper El Pais.

“He has been watching us for a long time and he knew what he needed to do to improve us. That vision has served us well, we are very good defensively and we need to keep that up, or improve it, for the rest of the season so we can stay up there.”

Barca captain Andres Iniesta said his side had erased the humbling 3-1 and 2-0 defeats to Real in the Super Cup from their memories but he does not think his side’s big lead in the standings will have much bearing on the pitch Saturday.

“That is in the past, we’re in another competition and in a different moment. It’s a completely different game and nothing to do with how we were back then,” Iniesta told Marca.

“I don’t look at the league table before a ‘Clasico’. They are unique games and form has no impact. We know what’s at stake and we’ll try to take an important step towards winning the league.”

Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to full training Friday with his Real teammates to quash fears he could miss Saturday’s match.

The world player of the year received rough treatment as he scored the winner in the Club World Cup final over Brazilians Gremio last weekend, but Ronaldo had insisted he would be fit for the lunchtime visit of league leader Barca.

Ronaldo didn’t train with the rest of the Madrid squad Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday as a precaution.

Madrid will need Ronaldo in the form he has shown of late having scored five goals in his last four games as the European champion look to claw its way back into the title race.

Zidane is sending a simple message to his players.

Don’t mind the gap.

That means anything but a victory would put its Spanish league title defense in severe jeopardy before the season reaches its midway point.

But Zidane only wants his players to focus on the upcoming 90 minutes at the Santiago Bernabeu.

“We aren’t nervous. We have to think about playing a good match, not if we are 11, or eight, or 25 points behind,” Zidane said Friday. “We are going to have to play a good match against a very good rival.”

Zidane said that whatever the result, his team would keep fighting for the title. But he acknowledged the importance of the game.

“It is without doubt our most difficult match of the season because the games between Madrid and Barca are always beautiful, yet difficult,” the former Madrid midfielder said. “But that is what inspires us. Players live to play games like this one. You are always thinking of this date.” — Agencies