Lionel Messi looks ahead to El Clasico

Lionel Messi has refused to play down the importance of Barcelona's trip to Real Madrid this weekend.

Defeat for Barcelona at the Bernabeu would leave the champions seven points behind Los Blancos in La Liga with just nine games of the season remaining.

"We have got a unique opportunity to get ourselves closer to Madrid and Atletico," Messi told Marca.

"We are visiting Madrid and they are a great team. It's going to be extremely difficult but it depends on us and we can do it."

Messi became Barcelona's all-time leading scorer at the weekend.