Zinedine Zidane said the Clasico on Sunday will not decide the title race even if Real Madrid lose to Barcelona and fall five points behind them in La Liga.
Yet opposite number Quique Setien believes Barca's two-point cushion at the top makes the match at the Santiago Bernabeu "much more important for Madrid" than his team.
Victory for the Catalans would effectively give them a six-point advantage over Madrid, given what would be a superior head-to-head, with 12 games left to play.
But Zidane insists there would be still be a way back.
"I don't think anyone will lose anything this weekend," he said in a press conference on Saturday.
"There are still 12 games left, we'll still be in the title race regardless of the result. But we're going to try to win, 100 per cent."
"For Madrid this match is certainly much more important than for us. In relation to their situation in the table, it is a key match, I don't know if it's decisive, but it's very important."
"I think probably not because we've already seen a lot of surprises."
- Tension -
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"We're going to try to win something, thats what we're working for but you can only have one winner."
"I get it, I am responsible. It's what is happening, it's nothing new. But I have the strength to continue, I have faith in my players and I believe we can turn this around."
"Real Madrid and Barcelona are first and second in the league so what does it say about the others?
"I don't think people can say we are a disaster if we are first and second in the table. There are always periods where you are good and periods where you are less good."
"We talked about different things. There are some things City did that could be good for us and other things that are not for us and we aren't interested in."