Barcelona v Real Madrid: Puyol injury is massive blow

Carles Puyol will be a big loss for Barcelona in Sunday's Clasico

With El Clasico looming large, Christian Crowther takes a look at what's making the news ahead of Spain's gargantuan clash...

The sight no Barcelona fan wants to see is their captain Carles Puyol being stretchered off in agony with the biggest game in La Liga's calendar just days away.

Unfortunately for Barca's shaggy-haired talisman, he will now be missing Sunday's Clasico after dislocating an elbow in the Catalans' 2-0 Champions League win over Benfica.

It was rotten luck for the Spanish international centre back who was only just making his return after a knee problem, when a really awkward fall left him in a crumpled heap. The anguish on his team-mates faces told the rest of the story.

Tito Vilanova is now faced with a real defensive dilemma ahead of Sunday's game because Puyol's regular centre back partner Gerard Pique is still sidelined with an foot injury sustained against Spartak Moscow.

The implications could be severe, not only because they will miss Puyol's immense experience in these clashes but also because of the personnel likely to be drafted in.

Against Sevilla in their last La Liga clash, the makeshift pairing of Javier Mascherano and Alex Song were exposed as the hosts went 2-0 up within the first 48 minutes.

Similarly, when Song was forced into replacing Pique after only 12 minutes against Spartak, Barca also conceded twice.

With Barca's weakened defence, backing Real to get one over their arch rivals at 4.3100/30 offers obvious appeal.

Barcelona's selection problems are not the only big news this week however, as where Jose Mourinho is concerned, headlines inevitably follow. This time the controversial coach is in the news because of the continued speculation over his supposedly strained relationship with defender Sergio Ramos.

Ramos set tongues wagging when he wore his team-mate Mesut Ozil's shirt under his own during the second half of Real's win over Deportivo, apparently in a show of solidarity after the German midfielder was substituted at half time.

However, after the incident Ramos was quick to tweet that his choice of attire wasn't intended as a mark of disrespect against his coach.

Mourinho was also moved swiftly to dispel rumours a rift but in true Jose fashion added: "There are no problems between us, but I get on with my wife much better than with Sergio Ramos."