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Will Lionel Messi be celebrating on Sunday night?

It is the most eagerly anticipated club match in world football and on Sunday night Barcelona and Real Madrid go head-to-head.

Their clash at the Nou Camp comes with the teams separated by just one point at the top of La Liga as they desperately try to relieve Atletico Madrid of the Spanish title.

Just a few months ago, Real Madrid seemed to have the world at their feet.

Carlo Ancelotti's team went on a record-breaking run of victories, sweeping all before them domestically as well in the Champions League while also winning a World Club Cup in Morocco in December.

Few would have predicted that the Spanish winter break would so spectacularly derail Madrid's momentum.

They returned in January and surrendered their 22-game winning sequence against Valencia immediately - offering hope to title rivals Barcelona and Atletico.

That was quickly followed with a 2-0 Copa del Rey defeat to Atletico at the Vicente Calderon. They were unable to turn that deficit around in the second leg and so gave up their grip on that trophy.

Since early February, Ancelotti's stars have managed to win just three of their six La Liga games, while they were jeered off the field at the Bernabeu following a 4-3 defeat to Schalke in Europe.

The Italian has been forced to answer questions on his relationship with the Madrid players as sections of the Spanish press suggested he is "too soft" on his Galacticos.

Real president Florentino Perez recently gave his coach the dreaded vote of confidence but there is no doubting the wagons are beginning to circle around Ancelotti.

His counterpart at the Nou Camp may privately feel some sympathy having endured similar tension earlier in the season.

Luis Enrique found his relationship with Lionel Messi under scrutiny as Barcelona reeled from the setback of surrendering a one-goal advantage when the sides met in the Spanish capital back in October.

The Catalans also returned from the winter hiatus a little rusty, losing to David Moyes' Real Sociedad.

Since that game, Barcelona have gone on to win 17 of their 18 games in all competitions. They have taken over at the top of La Liga, secured their place in the Copa del Rey decider and knocked Manchester City out of Europe.

Messi has found the net 20 times in 18 games since the turn of the year and gave a personal masterclass during the first half against the Premier League champions this week.

That Barca didn't run up a considerable total in that game owed much to the heroics of City keeper Joe Hart.

So, we have the picture in our minds, two clubs moving in opposite directions going into the biggest game of the season.

All known logic points to a home win for Barcelona that would allow them to take a stranglehold on the La Liga title race.

Except things are unlikely to work out quite like that - something the mercurial Messi has already alluded to when considering Sunday's game.

"When Madrid are in this situation it is when they are most dangerous," the Argentine declared. For the neutral, it is hoped that Messi's assertion is on the money.

The Barcelona triumvirate of Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez has come to life recently.

After a settling-in period for the former Liverpool striker, Barca are now reaping the considerable rewards of his endeavour alongside the dynamic skills of his South American peers.

The gloss has come off Real's dream pairing of Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale in light of the former's apparent non-celebration of the Welshman's goals against Levante which raised questions over Real's mental state.

As ever with the brilliant Portuguese superstar, he could decide to answer those questions in spectacular fashion.

The stage is set for an epic and potentially decisive tussle. Let's hope it lives up to the billing.