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          Florentino Perez: Barcelona vs. Real Madrid as big as the World Cup final

          • Dermot Corrigan, Madrid correspondentDec 2, 2016, 05:32 AM ET

          Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says Saturday's Clasico at Barcelona's Camp Nou is a "global event" comparable to a "World Cup final."

          The game is likely to be seen by an estimated 650 million spectators in over 185 countries around the globe. Speaking to AFP, as reported by Marca, Perez marvelled at how a domestic Spanish fixture had reached such heights.

          "I am not going to say it's just another game," Perez said. "It is a very important game, with a special extra meaning.

          "It is a global event, watched by hundreds of millions of people all around the world, like a World Cup final. It would have been unimaginable for two Spanish clubs to have reached such a level."

          Speaking to his club's official website, Madrid centre-forward Karim Benzema said that while there was pressure to perform in every game, the Clasico was something different as "the footballing world stops" to watch it.

          "In every game, regardless of whether you're playing even the lowest ranked team, there is always going to be pressure," Benzema said. "What changes things the most is the game itself, people say it is a prestigious game because Barcelona-Real Madrid is El Clasico.

          "Honestly, it is always special. It is the game to watch, it is as if when Real Madrid play Barcelona the footballing world stops and everyone talks about this game, so in some ways it is like every game is your first."

          Former England midfielder Steve McManaman played for Madrid from 1999 to 2003, and scored a crucial goal as his team beat Barcelona 2-0 in the 2002 Champions League semifinals.

          In an interview with AS, the ex-Liverpool and Manchester City player said that in his time the game did not have quite the same impact back in England.

          "It really didn't," McManaman said. "It's because of the TV. Before they used to show a game every now and then, not like now. I guess people would have been watching English teams."

          McManaman hailed the current impact of his one-time Madrid teammate Zinedine Zidane during his first months as coach at the Bernabeu, saying the Frenchman has the perfect personality to handle the unique demands of the job.

          "There were people who thought Zidane would fail," he said. "I believe he is the perfect coach for Madrid -- he doesn't want to fight with the president, nor come out talking about this and that.

          "He is very similar to [Vicente] Del Bosque, reserved, happy with the players, makes sure everything goes well. The Madrid players are so good, like the Barca players, that they must win almost all their games. If you get them happy and physically fit, you've already most of it done.

          "Madrid do not need big and aggressive characters. The stars are the players. The coach just has to come in, like Carlo [Ancelotti] did, keep his plans secret, say as little as possible, and make sure the players are happy.

          "That way you win nine out of 10 games, because your 11 players are going to be better than the opponents' 11."

          Del Bosque did a similar job in charge of the first galacticos team from 2000 to 2003, McManaman added.

          "Del Bosque did not say much to us, really," he said. "He knew he had very good players and he made sure we were not selfish.

          "In football, if someone is in a better position than you, then you pass him the ball. If you are in a better position, you expect them to pass you the ball. For me that's all."