Lionel Messi's magical display as Barcelona beat Manchester City 1-0 to secure their place in the Champions League quarterfinals has drawn the attention of both the media and the bookmakers ahead of Sunday's Clasico.
Earlier in the week, the press build-up had focused around Real Madrid's poor form, and especially Cristiano Ronaldo's mental and physical woes, but Messi drew the focus on Thursday morning after a display that suggested the four time Ballon d'Or winner was returning to his very best.
Barcelona-backing Mundo Deportivo editor Santi Nolla wrote that, with Messi in top form, Barcelona were going into Sunday's La Liga clash in the best possible way.
"The Blaugrana arrive at a high level to the Clasico. The best of all is the deep respect being shown publicly by all Barca players for Madrid, who arrive really wanting to turn things around. It will be a great game," Nolla wrote. "But Barca, nevertheless, will go out with a little advantage -- they have Messi."
The mood in Madrid was understandably less buoyant, given that Messi -- the all-time Clasico top-scorer -- has a tendency to lift his game when facing Los Blancos.
Madrid-based newspaper AS' Alfredo Relano wrote: "Messi has woken up and Madrid's presence on Sunday will create a motivation which was not there last night. In reality, the [City] game was like a starter for the main course to come, the Clasico."
The bookies have also been impressed with how Barca are gearing up for the game, and AS published a piece showing the Catalans' lower odds to win Sunday's game, with Messi also heavily favoured over Ronaldo to score first goal.
The paper's "Mad Madridista" columnist Tomas Roncero claimed not to be worried, though, writing: "I love to beat the odds."
Marca, meanwhile, found a way to put a positive spin on Madrid's concerns after Barcelona's triumph on Wednesday by focusing on the fact three Spanish sides had reached the Champions League quarterfinals, with Ronaldo and Messi both celebrating on the cover. The main headline, in a pun on the newspaper's name, read: "Brand Spain."
#LaPortada 'Marca España' pic.twitter.com/U55XZZWprl
- MARCA (@marca) March 18, 2015
The cover also featured a reference to the "English debacle," with all four Premier League clubs now eliminated from this season's competiton.
AS' cover stayed away from Barcelona and the Champions League, leading on Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti having treated his team to a special meal after training on Wednesday with the headline: "Ancelotti invites them for a seafood feast."
¡Buenos días! Esta es nuestra portada: '@MrAncelotti invitó a mariscada' pic.twitter.com/SfzdEzjiVu
- AS (@diarioas) March 19, 2015
However, the Italian was the subject of a more negative story in Madrid-based El Confidencial claiming that club president Florentino Perez is again unhappy with the coach's work.
The article claimed that Perez -- "a confessed fan of Marlon Brando, and more secret admirer of Robert De Niro" -- is "fed up with Ancelotti's caprices," saying the Bernabeu boss did not understand decisions such as not playing teenager Martin Odegaard and leaving January signing Lucas Silva on the bench.