MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona could celebrate their passage to the Champions League final with a third consecutive La Liga crown on Sunday when derby rivals Espanyol visit the Nou Camp (1700 GMT).
Pep Guardiola's side will take to the pitch knowing the outcome of
second-placed Real Madrid's trip to play Sevilla on Saturday (2000), when anything less than a victory would put the title within Barca's grasp.
The leaders are eight points clear at the top with four matches left to play, and they hold the head-to-head advantage over Real, which is used to decide placings if the clubs finished level on points.
Barca completed a 3-1 aggregate win over their arch-rivals Real in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday, to set up a final meeting with Manchester United in London on May 28.
"It would be good to win the league now because it would give us plenty of preparation time for Wembley," Barca and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told the club's television channel.
Jose Mourinho's Real side head off to the Sanchez Pizjuan without suspended defender Ricardo Carvalho and winger Angel Di Maria looking to end their worst run of the season, two defeats and a draw.
Valencia and Villarreal, third and fourth respectively, have secured Spain's last two Champions League qualification places barring major slip ups, though Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal could yet steal the last automatic slot.
Valencia, who have 63 points and who have lost two on the trot, host Real Sociedad on Saturday (1600) and Villarreal, 60 points, visit Real Mallorca on Sunday (1000).
Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, tied on 52 points, and Athletic Bilbao, who are one point back in seventh, are in pole position for the three Europa League places.
Sevilla take on Real without injured midfielder Ivan Rakitic. The Croatian international, who has been one of their leading players in the second half of the campaign, is to have surgery on a broken bone in his foot.
Atletico host improving Malaga on Saturday (1800) and Bilbao are at home to outsiders for the Europa League positions Levante (1600).
RELEGATION BATTLE
The relegation battle still has many twists and turns left in it and sees some key clashes this weekend.
Bottom club Almeria (26 points) only avoided the drop last week due to their superior head-to-head record over Deportivo Coruna who are 12 points ahead of them in 17th, while Hercules also appear to be doomed in 19th with 33.
However, the next six clubs, Getafe, Deportivo, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, Malaga and 13th-placed Racing Santander are only separated by three points.
Getafe, who host Almeria on Saturday (1600), are 18th with 37 points and are only one point from safety, but have suffered five defeats from their last six outings.
Hercules are at home to Racing on Saturday (1600) and 16th-placed Osasuna (38 points) visit 15th-placed Zaragoza (39 points) in the last game of the weekend on Sunday (1900).
"I like to work out the maths but I'm having to throw it away. We can't think about results only about ourselves," Osasuna midfielder Fernando Soriano told reporters.
"We are all hoping Sunday comes quickly because having to wait is the worst."
Pep Guardiola's side will take to the pitch knowing the outcome of
second-placed Real Madrid's trip to play Sevilla on Saturday (2000), when anything less than a victory would put the title within Barca's grasp.
The leaders are eight points clear at the top with four matches left to play, and they hold the head-to-head advantage over Real, which is used to decide placings if the clubs finished level on points.
Barca completed a 3-1 aggregate win over their arch-rivals Real in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday, to set up a final meeting with Manchester United in London on May 28.
"It would be good to win the league now because it would give us plenty of preparation time for Wembley," Barca and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told the club's television channel.
Jose Mourinho's Real side head off to the Sanchez Pizjuan without suspended defender Ricardo Carvalho and winger Angel Di Maria looking to end their worst run of the season, two defeats and a draw.
Valencia and Villarreal, third and fourth respectively, have secured Spain's last two Champions League qualification places barring major slip ups, though Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal could yet steal the last automatic slot.
Valencia, who have 63 points and who have lost two on the trot, host Real Sociedad on Saturday (1600) and Villarreal, 60 points, visit Real Mallorca on Sunday (1000).
Sevilla and Atletico Madrid, tied on 52 points, and Athletic Bilbao, who are one point back in seventh, are in pole position for the three Europa League places.
Sevilla take on Real without injured midfielder Ivan Rakitic. The Croatian international, who has been one of their leading players in the second half of the campaign, is to have surgery on a broken bone in his foot.
Atletico host improving Malaga on Saturday (1800) and Bilbao are at home to outsiders for the Europa League positions Levante (1600).
RELEGATION BATTLE
The relegation battle still has many twists and turns left in it and sees some key clashes this weekend.
Bottom club Almeria (26 points) only avoided the drop last week due to their superior head-to-head record over Deportivo Coruna who are 12 points ahead of them in 17th, while Hercules also appear to be doomed in 19th with 33.
However, the next six clubs, Getafe, Deportivo, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, Malaga and 13th-placed Racing Santander are only separated by three points.
Getafe, who host Almeria on Saturday (1600), are 18th with 37 points and are only one point from safety, but have suffered five defeats from their last six outings.
Hercules are at home to Racing on Saturday (1600) and 16th-placed Osasuna (38 points) visit 15th-placed Zaragoza (39 points) in the last game of the weekend on Sunday (1900).
"I like to work out the maths but I'm having to throw it away. We can't think about results only about ourselves," Osasuna midfielder Fernando Soriano told reporters.
"We are all hoping Sunday comes quickly because having to wait is the worst."
Aucun commentaire:
Enregistrer un commentaire