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Barca, Atletico Madrid need win for title chase alive

Xinhua, February 26, 2015 Adjust font size:

It's a vital weekend in the race for the La Liga title as Real Madrid seek to maintain their four point advantage at the top of the table while FC Barcelona and Atletico Madrid face must win games away from home.

Last weekend's shock 1-0 home defeat to Malaga was a huge setback to Barca's title hopes and the Catalans now need favors from other sides in order to keep their ambitions afloat. However, favors will be of little use to them unless they are able to win their own matches.

Saturday sees Barca travel to face Granada, who are second from bottom of the table after enduring the heartbreak of conceding two late goals to lose to Levante following a nine-man rearguard action on Monday night.

Barca bounced back to form in the Champions League with a 2-1 win over Manchester City on Tuesday and Luis Enrique will make some changes to that side with Claudio Bravo back in goal for Ter Stegen and Adriano perhaps getting his chance at right back.

Atletico Madrid have the toughest game of the top three as they travel to fifth placed Sevilla on the back of their Champions League defeat away to Bayer Leverkusen. Sevilla know they have to win in order to keep alive their chances of a top-four finish, while defeat for Atletico will leave them out of the title race.

Luka Modric could make his long awaited reappearance from injury when Real Madrid entertain Villarreal. Modric has been out since November and could be a substitute for the game at home to the side which is currently sixth in the table.

Villarreal are without midfielder Bruno Soriano and could have one eye fixed on their Kings Cup semifinal against Barca the following week.

Meanwhile Real Madrid are still without defender Sergio Ramos and Sam Khedira, so Lucas Silva will probably continue in the middle ahead of unfavored Asier Illaramendi.

The weekend starts with bottom club Cordoba, who have lost their last five games, visiting Espanyol on Friday night. Espanyol have a Cup semifinal at home to Athletic Club the following Wednesday and the league have given them a considerable advantage for that over their rivals given that Athletic don't travel to play local rivals Eibar until Sunday afternoon.

Eibar has also lost five in a row and defeat would see them sucked into the relegation.

Levante are away to Rayo Vallecano, another side who need to pick up points on Saturday afternoon, while Deportivo la Coruna have to recover from the disappointment of their defeat in the Galician derby last week if they are to take anything from Almeria.

Saturday ends with Malaga aiming to build on last weekend's win in the Camp Nou when they face an improving Getafe, before Sunday kicks off with Valencia at home to Real Sociedad.

Valencia could momentarily open a five-point lead over Sevilla if they can beat a side that has yet to win on its travels this season.

The round of matches ends on Monday when Celta, who are returning to form after a terrible December and January, entertain struggling Elche. Endi