The return of Barcelona star Lionel Messi for Saturday's Clasico against Real Madrid will be a match-time decision, Barca manager Luis Enrique said on Friday.
Messi has not played for two months after injuring a ligament in his knee in late September, but he returned to training during the recent international break, and club doctors on Friday gave him medical clearance to play.
Luis Suarez, a teammate of the 28-year-old forward, this week suggested that the only remaining question was whether the Blaugrana talisman would start the game or come off the bench in the second half.
However, Enrique said he would base his final decision on how Messi was feeling just before the match begins.
"Whether Messi plays or not -- I prefer him to play, of course -- the great news is that he is fit again," Luis Enrique said on Friday. "When will I make the decision about Messi starting or not? I'll talk today with him, tomorrow, and it'll be decided an hour before the game.
"We know he's not going to be 100 percent fit, coming back from injury, depends how he feels, but it's great for us he's back.
"Only the player can only tell you how he is feeling."
Midfielder Ivan Rakitic also looks set to feature at the Bernabeu at some point, with the Croatian international also back training after a fortnight on the sidelines with a calf muscle problem.
"[Rakitic] is good," Enrique said. "I will speak with him after training and see what feedback I get. But it is good to have him back with us."
Neymar and Suarez stepped up during Messi's absence, scoring 10 goals each and assisting in a total of 10 between them during the 10 games their fellow South American superstar missed.
Enrique said he would not be asking them to step aside when No. 10 returns.
"I always expect the best from my players," he said. "The same as I didn't ask them to take step forward before, it is not about taking a step back now. Having someone like Leo is an advantage in many elements of the game. We did well without him, but now that injured players are coming back, we should take advantage of it."
Barca's excellent recent form has seen them turn the one-point deficit they faced when Messi hurt his knee into a three-point lead as they head to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu this weekend. Enrique said he hoped that lead would be six points come Saturday night.
"We are going to there to win the three points, to minimise their great potential," he said. "Madrid one of the best teams in the world, of course, and can beat us on any given day. They did last year.
"They have same objectives at start of season as us -- they are our eternal rival, only one of us can win La Liga. I would prefer they lose all their games, but that won't happen. We hope that with a defeat for Madrid this time we can be six points clear, but prefer not to count chickens yet."
Enrique brushed aside a question about the ongoing La Liga investigation into claims that an unnamed linesman had been asked to favour Madrid in this game. The Asturian did say that he was not extra worried about security concerns around the Clasico following the terrorist attacks in Paris last Friday and the apparent targeting of Tuesday's games in Brussels and Hanover.
"I am not worried about this game, although concerned about the situation in the world, with terrorism," he said. "I have been for a while. People are working on it, to try and resolve these problems. I focus on the game, on football, the security people are there to do their jobs."
A former Spain midfielder, Enrique played for Madrid between 1991 and 1996 before spending eight seasons with the Catalan club -- during which he was regularly jeered at during his returns to the Bernabeu. He said he would not be surprised or disappointed should Blaugrana defender Gerard Pique suffer similar treatment on Saturday.
"Logically they might whistle some Barca players, the same as when Madrid come [to the Camp Nou]," he said. "But I don't see anything ugly or wrong with that. Different players receive different treatment, but once there is no violence, I don't see a problem."
Asked if he was losing sleep making plans for such a huge game, Enrique finished his press conference by avowing he was very relaxed.
"This is the best time in my coaching career," he said. "I said it my wife -- I am dreaming with the angels. Seriously."