Newcastle midfielder Geremi believes Sunday's derby clash with Sunderland is even bigger than Real Madrid's rivalry with Barcelona.

The 29-year-old knows all about the competition between the two giants of Spanish football having played for Real against the Catalan club during his time at the Bernabeu Stadium.

That fixture may not be a traditional derby, but the stakes could not be higher in the domestic game in Spain.

However, Geremi admits the Black Cats' visit to St James' Park will outweigh anything he experienced in Madrid.

He said: "The derby game is something special and I know what it means for the fans.

"Each derby means a lot to every team. When I was with Real Madrid, I played in the derby against Barcelona, which is very big.

"But in Newcastle, the game against Sunderland is bigger than Real Madrid v Barcelona.

"It depends on each club, and we know it is going to be a big derby.

"Derbies are played away from the pitch, when people talk a lot, and then on the pitch, when we can do our talking."

Geremi has proved a key member of the team which has belatedly provided new manager Kevin Keegan with the kind of football and results he hoped for since succeeding Sam Allardyce at the helm in January.

He was used only as a substitute in the 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light in November, and has since seen his captain's armband handed to Alan Smith and then Michael Owen.

However, he will be alone in the two starting line-ups this weekend in having scored the winner in a North-East derby.

That came a little more than five years ago when, during his year on loan from Real at Middlesbrough, he headed the only goal of the game to condemn his current employers to defeat.

He said: "I can remember that header very well, but I am a Newcastle player now and I would love to do the same against Sunderland tomorrow."

Keegan boasts a 100% record over his club's closest rivals with four victories out of four, although only one of them has come in the top flight, back in September 1996 shortly before his first spell as manager came to an end.

The Wearsiders twice won at St James' under Peter Reid, but have managed only three points from eight meetings since.

Geordie defender Steven Taylor would dearly love to keep Keegan's run going.

He said: "The two games you look for at the start of the season are the derbies with Sunderland - as soon as the fixtures are out, you look at when you play them at home, and when you play them away.

"You don't need a team talk if you know what it means to the fans. As soon as you cross that white line and see the fans' faces, you know exactly what the derby means to them.

"You just don't want to come off that pitch without a win."

Taylor, 22, made his debut in the fixture at St James' two seasons ago when Turkey midfielder Emre curled home a stunning winner in a five-goal thriller.

The defender said: "When Emre scored that winner, it just lifted the whole city. I can't explain how good it was to be on the winning side.

"We drew at the Stadium of Light earlier in the season. We didn't play particularly well at their place and we know we will have to do better this time.

"We want to be the top club in the North-East, and we believe we can be. We have got the players and the quality."

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