Barcelona shift focus
After humiliating Bayern Munich 4-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday Barcelona switch their attention back to the league on Saturday when they host Recreativo Huelva at Camp Nou.
Barcelona, who have crushed Malaga 6-0 and Bayern 4-0 in their last two home matches, go into the weekend with a six-point lead over Real Madrid.
"We have to keep our feet on the ground after the Bayern game," said Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola. "The way to do that is to focus on the next three points in the league and maintaining our six-point cushion at the top."
Barcelona are still on course for a historic treble with one foot in the Champions League semifinal, a place in the Kings Cup final and top spot in the domestic championship.
Real have only dropped two points from the past 14 league matches and need to maintain that consistency if they are to topple Barcelona.
After enviously watching Barcelona in European action this week Real entertain Valladolid on Sunday.
Valladolid, more famous for wine-making than its football, beat Real 1-0 in mid-November and are looking for a memorable double over the champions.
Sevilla host Getafe on Sunday looking to keep up the momentum and seal third place sooner rather than later.
Freddy Kanoute has been a major factor with his 16 goals and last weekend the Mali striker equalled the record for Sevilla goals from a foreign player matching Croat Davor Suker's haul of 90.
Rather than chasing Sevilla, Villarreal, who drew 1-1 with Arsenal in their Champions League quarterfinal match on Tuesday, are clinging to fourth and need to get back to winning ways against Malaga on Saturday.
Valencia are now just two points adrift of Villarreal and hope to improve their awful away form at Sporting Gijon on Sunday.
Atletico travel to Deportivo La Coruna, who are level on points, knowing games are running out of games to break into the top four.
Down at the bottom things are incredibly tight with ten teams involved in the relegation dogfight.
Almeria are in 11th but only lie four points above the drop zone and all the teams below them are scrambling for survival.
Espanyol prop up the table despite winning against Deportivo La Coruna last time out and are six points adrift of safety.
Second from bottom Numancia are just two points better off and the bottom two meet in Soria in Sunday for a crucial six-pointer.
Real Betis, a point above the drop zone, sacked coach Paco Chaparro on Tuesday after just one win from the last 10 league matches and stop-gap coach Maria Nogues has the task of keeping the Seville club in the top-flight.
Nogues' first match in charge is a trip north to Racing Santander on Sunday.
Fixtures
Saturday
Barcelona v Recreativo Huelva, Villarreal v Malaga
Sunday
Real Madrid v Valladolid, Real Mallorca v Almeria, Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao, Numancia v Espanyol, Racing Santander v Real Betis, Sporting Gijon v Valencia, Sevilla v Getafe, Deportivo La Coruna v Atletico Madrid
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