Barcelona face stiff title test in Seville

MADRID

La Liga leaders Barcelona will have to break Sevilla's 31-game unbeaten run at the Sanchez Pizjuan to ensure they maintain a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of the table on Saturday.

Barca swept aside Almeria on Wednesday to take their winning streak in all competition to nine games, but have the added complication of facing the on-form Andalusians just three days before a Champions League quarter-final, first leg away to Paris Saint-Germain.

"We know that they will be very difficult matches, but if we face them with the personality we have we will have a good chance because we are Barca," said striker Luis Suarez after scoring twice against Almeria to take his tally for the season to 16.

Barca will at least be able to welcome back six first-team regulars, including Neymar and Gerard Pique, after they were rested against Almeria.

"The schedule in April is very hard. We can't win any title, but we can lose them if we don't do things right," Pique said on Thursday.

"We can be knocked out the Champions League or lose our lead in the league. We have to go game by game and if we finish April well it means we are in the semi-finals and still on top in La Liga."

DESPERATE TO WIN

Sevilla have also won their last seven games in all competitions and are in desperate need of the points as they battle Valencia and Atletico Madrid for a place in next season's Champions League.

"The truth is we didn't expect to be playing so well at this stage of the season, we have a lot of confidence and want to continue like this," said midfielder Daniel Carrico.

"On Saturday we have a very difficult game, but we are playing in our stadium, in front of our fans and they always help us a lot."

Real Madrid can close to within a point of Barca before kick-off at the Sanchez Pizjuan as they host Eibar at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier on Saturday.

The European champions have appealed the yellow card shown to Cristiano Ronaldo in Wednesday's 2-0 win over Rayo Vallecano which would see him miss out through suspension.

Toni Kroos and James Rodriguez will definitely be banned after also picking up bookings at Vallecas, whilst boss Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that Keylor Navas will get a rare start in goal ahead of Iker Casillas.

TOUGH TEST

Real will also have one eye on a return to European action in midweek as they face Atletico in the Champions League, who they have failed to beat in six previous meetings this season.

Atletico have the tougher game on paper this weekend when they travel to seventh-placed Malaga and defender Jesus Games insisted their focus will be on that game with Valencia and Sevilla breathing down their necks.

"Third place is far from being resolved. The teams are pushing hard and there are eight difficult games remaining. We need to concentrate on Malaga and not look to other games, we just need to focus on ourselves."

The champions are likely to be without goalkeeper Miguel Angel Moya and top scorer Mario Mandzukic once more through injury, but Juanfran returns from suspension and Diego Godin is expected to recover from a hamstring injury in time to take his place in central defence.

Valencia were denied by a stoppage time equaliser in a 1-1 draw away to Athletic Bilbao on Thursday to move just a point ahead of Sevilla in fourth, but they will be confident of a return to winning ways when they host local rivals Levante on Monday.

FIXTURES (Kenyan time)

Saturday

Real Madrid v Eibar (5pm), Malaga v Atletico Madrid (7pm), Sevilla v Barcelona (9pm), Almeria v Granada (11pm), Celta Vigo v Rayo Vallecano (11pm)

Sunday

Getafe v Villarreal (1pm), Espanyol v Athletic Bilbao (6pm), Real Sociedad v Deportivo la Coruna (8pm), Cordoba v Elche (10pm)

Monday

Valencia v Levante (9.30pm)