El Clasico: Jamie Carragher backs Real Madrid boss Rafael Benitez to fix chink in Barcelona armour

Jamie Carragher has said he does not expect Real Madrid to lose against Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on 21 November. Real suffered their first defeat of the season just before the international break away at Sevilla, slipping to second behind Barca in the La Liga standings.

The Madrid club's coach Rafael Benitez is under pressure to deliver a result against Barcelona, with his safety-first approach drawing the ire of fans and stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Ramos, Karim Benzema and James Rodriguez.

A report in Catalan daily Mundo Deportivo claimed the club's president Florentino Perez was unhappy with the team's style of play and was contemplating a change in the dugout should Real slump to defeat against their fierce rivals.

Carragher, who played under Benitez for six years at Liverpool, said he would have formulated an effective strategy to contain Barca, citing his excellent record in big one-off matches.

"If his man-management is lacking, you cannot fault how he sets up a team in big, one-off games and it is why, having lost to Sevilla last week, I would be amazed if he suffers another defeat on Saturday evening," Carragher wrote in his Daily Mail column.

"Having been criticised for being too defensive and not killing teams off, that is exactly what Madrid need to be in the Bernabeu and that is what Benitez will make them.

"He will have spent the international break looking to exploit Barcelona's weaknesses and hatching a game plan."

Deadly duo

The ex-Reds defender said Real had the perfect weapons in Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to hurt Barcelona on the break.

"No matter what has happened this week, regardless of the fallout after losing in Seville, I honestly don't see Real Madrid losing this match," he stated.

"Benitez always responds in the moments of adversity. He is never better than when he has been backed into a corner."