If it is end-of-year fireworks you are after, then look no further than the latest instalment of the Barcelona-Real Madrid rivalry in Catalonia this Sunday. The league leaders will be hoping to extend their four-point advantage over their nearest challengers, but will have to do so in Barça's Camp Nou fortress, where no visiting side have won for the best part of two years.

FIFA.com has decided to focus on two revitalised strikers who could well play a decisive role in this weekend's clash. In the white corner there is Raul, currently enjoying a welcome return to form, while in the claret and blue we have Samuel Eto'o, firing on all cylinders once again after a long and frustrating absence through injury. Both have scored 10 times against the other side, so which of the great strikers will have the bragging rights come Monday? Whoever it is certainly will not have it easy, as the men trying to thwart them will be Victor Valdes and Iker Casillas, the two keepers with the best defensive records so far this season in Spain.

Captain fantastic
In this, his 13th season with Real Madrid, Raul is currently enjoying a new lease of life, scoring freely again and silencing the same critics who hounded him in recent seasons for his lack of goals.

Today, the iconic No7 is proud to be still leading the Merengue line and cannot wait for the latest edition of El Derbi. All told, Raul has lined up against the Blaugranas 26 times, of which he has won 10, drawn 9 and lost 7. Yet even after all these years, the player says it remains a very special occasion for him: "[I treat] each derby as if it were my last, as you never know if you will be taking part the following year. The rivalry is intense, so you have to aim to be mentally prepared and focused to try to ensure that things go right for you and your team."

The 30-year-old's scoring record at the Camp Nou is a modest one, which is hardly surprising given his team have only won there once in 13 attempts. Even so, Raul has scored more goals (10) against Barça than other Madrid player in history, and perhaps none as memorable as the one that earned his side a 2-2 in October 1999 and silenced the entire Camp Nou.
On Sunday, the veteran marksman will be hoping to add to the eight goals he has scored already this season and will be looking to in-form strike-partner Ruud van Nistelrooij to help subdue the Culé faithful.

The return of Eto'o
After three months on the sidelines following the aggravation of a knee injury, Samuel Eto'o needed next to no time to show he was back in business. His first run out after injury came on 9 December against Deportivo, and he was back on the scoresheet on his very next outing, a UEFA Champions League tie against Stuttgart. The following Sunday the Cameroonian was at it again, this time away to Valencia, where his brace kept Barça hot on the heels of Madrid and heaped more agony on the hapless Chés.

It is common knowledge that it was actually Real Madrid who brought Eto'o to Spain, way back in 1996. Curiously, however, he was to play less than half a dozen times for the Merengues before moving to Mallorca and later Barcelona, where he would find glory and adulation in equal measures. Understandably, the 26-year-old regards every clash with his former club as another chance to prove them wrong, something he clearly relishes doing. In 17 games against Madrid (including his time at Mallorca), the Cameroonian has found the net 10 times.

Eto'o's fierce determination and indomitable character mean he will be key to the Azulgranas' chances on Sunday, when they will be seeking to trim Madrid's lead to a single point heading into 2008.

Conspicuous by his absence
An untimely foot injury to Argentina's Lionel Messi means he will take no part in Sunday's showpiece. La Pulga, who only last Monday took runners-up spot at FIFA's World Player Gala 2007, stole the show during the corresponding fixture last season, netting all his side's goals in a pulsating 3-3 draw. Despite his obvious disappointment at missing out, Messi was talking up his team's chances when he spoke to FIFA.com last Monday: "I don't think my team-mates will miss me too much. There is more than enough quality in the squad for us to win this game."

Such is the calibre of the Argentinian that even his rivals speak highly of him. "Everyone enjoys watching his pace, his directness and his ability to dribble with the ball seemingly stuck to his feet, not to mention his knack of effortlessly brushing past opponents like it's no big deal," says Raul. "He is one of the top players in the game today and a real joy to watch."

"Nowadays, there's no one I enjoy watching more than Messi," Madrid's Sergio Ramos recently told FIFA.com.

Yet even without the gifted Argentinian, there will be no shortage of quality on display this Sunday, with both squads littered with star names - and Thierry Henry back in training for Barcelona, ready to fill the gap. It looks to be the perfect aperitif to kick off the end-of-year festivities, but which side will be toasting victory at the end?

We will all have to wait until Sunday to find out but, for now, why not have your say on who you think will win Spain's showpiece match by clicking on 'Add your comment' below.