El Clasico broadcasters counting on Gareth Bale appeal as big match loses Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo

Broadcasters are turning to Gareth Bale to shoulder the burden of El Clasico interest in the UK as Barcelona and Real Madrid contest the first derby without either Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo since 2007 .

With Ronaldo joining Juventus over the summer and Messi sidelined after fracturing his arm in last weekend’s win over Sevilla.

Online streaming service Eleven Sports snapped up the UK & Ireland rights to La Liga in May, meaning their app is the only place for fans of the biggest game in world football to watch it live .

The big attraction for rights holders to La Liga is, of course, El Clasico. Billed as Messi vs Ronaldo for almost a decade, last season this fixture was broadcast in over 185 countries reaching a potential audience of over 650 million.

Without the star duo Eleven, who will offer UK viewers the option of Spanish commentary with a high number of Spanish ex-pats subscribing, have already felt a small impact on subscriptions.

“The Spanish league is one of the top domestic leagues in the world and features world famous clubs including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid and global superstars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann,” Eleven’s press release read when they secured the rights.

The London-based broadcaster has not lost the Ronaldo effect, having also secured rights for Serie A in the UK, but conceded that everyone will have wanted to see Messi in their first showing of the Clasico.

The online streaming service, owned by Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani, remain confident that the clash will still garner a mammoth audience, however, and are placing the onus on former Tottenham star Bale to hold the home nations' interest in Sunday's clash.