Barcelona and Real Madrid face-off in a festive El Clasico on Wednesday.

The winner of one of the fiercest rivalries in European football will head to the top of La Liga with just one game before the winter break.

Here, the PA news agency takes a look at five classic meetings between the two.

Real Madrid 3 Barcelona 4 – March 2014

Lionel Messi's hat-trick inspired a thrilling win for Barca against 10-man Real. Andres Iniesta put the visitors ahead before Karim Benzema's brace turned things around. Messi then struck with his first just before half-time to level the score. A Cristiano Ronaldo penalty put the hosts 3-2 ahead before Sergio Ramos was sent off – and Messi completed his hat-trick with two penalties.

Barcelona 5 Real Madrid 0 – November 2010

Pep Guardiola's Barcelona inflicted the biggest margin of defeat in an El Clasico since 1994 when they beat Jose Mourinho's Real 5-0 at the Nou Camp. The hosts never looked back after going 2-0 up inside 18 minutes through Xavi and Pedro. Messi did not score but he set up David Villa for the third and fourth goals in the space of three second-half minutes and Jeffren wrapped up the win after Ramos received a red card.

Real Madrid 2 Barcelona 6 – May 2009

Barcelona stormed to a 6-2 win at the Bernabeu on their way to their first title for three years in 2009. Gonzalo Higuain nodded Real into the lead before Thierry Henry scored the equaliser and defender Carles Puyol headed his side ahead. Messi scored either side of a Ramos header to keep the Barca in the lead before Henry tapped in his second and Gerard Pique added the sixth.

Real Madrid 4 Barcelona 2 – April 2005

At the peak of the Galacticos era, Michael Owen and David Beckham inspired Real to a 4-2 win over their rivals. Zinedine Zidane and Ronaldo put Los Blancos two goals up before Samuel Eto'o pulled one back. Raul made it 3-1 before Beckham picked out Owen, who beat Victor Valdes. Ronaldinho expertly curled in a free-kick to complete the scoring.

Real Madrid 5 Barcelona 0 – January 1995

Almost a year after a 5-0 loss at the Nou Camp, Jorge Valdano's Real stormed to victory by the same margin. A first-half hat-trick from Chilean striker Ivan Zamorano put the game beyond the Catalans before Luis Enrique, who went on to manage and play for Barcelona, added the fourth. Jose Amavisca scored the fifth goal as Real went on to win the title.