体坛英语新闻：Coaches highlight importance of game ahead of decisive Real Madrid - Barca

MADRID, Maech 22 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid coach, Carlo Ancelotti said it Saturday that it was time for him to overcome 10 years of history as a coach and to once again beat FC Barcelona when the two sides meet in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night.

Real Madrid receive Barca with a four-point lead over their historic rivals and with Madrid in their best form of the season. The perfect time, some would believe for Ancelotti to end a wait for a win against the Catalans who he has not defeated as a coach since 2004.

"I had forgotten that the last time was 2004; it' s time for me to beat them. We have players who have beaten them, and I hope they' ll help me to break that statistic," he said in his pre-game press conference in which he also highlighted the tension of the game.

"The Clasico is always an important game and you always have the same pressure. There' s as much pressure on us as there is on Barca," said Ancelotti, who added Real Madrid were highly motivated for a match which can knock Barca out of the title race.

"Our idea is to play a game in which we can show our best qualities. We are really motivated for this game and we' re going to try to do what we' ve done in previous games," he said.

Ancelotti said that Karim Benzema would be in condition to play despite having suffered a muscle injury a week ago and ruled out accepting a draw which would maintain his side' s 4-point lead over Barca.

Meanwhile Barca coach, Gerardo 'Tata' Martinez said his recipe for winning in Madrid was to: "play well, keeping possession of the ball, building up the play well and not losing balls that allow Madrid to counter-attack. We have to avoid one-on-ones out wide with (Gareth) Bale and Cristiano," he said

The coach has been under pressure in recent weeks as Barca have slipped behind Madrid and the reigning champions have lost their last two away games, prompting questions over whether or not Sunday was Barca' s last chance to stay in the title race.

"Yes, it is," admitted Martino "There will be nine games left afterwards and having to come back from a point down one point wouldn't be the same thing coming back from seven down. The big teams don' t drop many points, so a draw isn' t a good result - we need to win," he said.