Lineker knows Real should not be written off. He claims a victory for Carlo Ancelotti's men would put pressure on their opponents for the final 12 games of the season.

He added: "But I think we all, over the many, many years, you never at your peril right off Real Madrid. It's a big game for Barcelona and it's one that if they do fail to get the three points, or certainly if they fail to get a point, then the pressure shifts again.

"And then for a relatively young Barcelona side, it will be a real test for them."

But when asked for his prediction, he unsurprisingly picked the team he spent three years at in the 1980s. Lineker said while laughing: "Barcelona win."

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