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Spanish title could be decided on Sunday night

Xinhua, May 16, 2015 Adjust font size:

The destiny of this season's BBVA Primera Liga title will be decided shortly before 9pm local time on Sunday in Spain if FC Barcelona win their game away to Atletico Madrid or the result in the match between Espanyol and Real Madrid is favorable.

Barca go into the penultimate game of the campaign with a four point lead over Real Madrid meaning a win means Real cannot catch them.

However, if Barca fail to win in the Calderon, which is a distinct possibility given that Atletico are battling to finish in third place, they would still be champions if their result was a good as Real Madrid's.

So if Barca and Madrid both lost or both drew then the celebrations would start in the Canalettas Fountain in the heart of the famous Ramblas.

Barca have had a great week in which they qualified for the Champions League final and travel to the Calderon with a full squad, but with a slight doubt over the fitness of Luis Suarez who has been working to overcome a muscle problem which saw him substituted at halftime on Wednesday.

If Suarez is not fit then Pedro Rodriguez will replace him in attack, but otherwise it will be Barca' s strongest possible side.

Many had wondered whether Atletico will not allow Barca to win in order to ensure that their neighbors Real Madrid do not lift the title, but no side coached by Diego Simeone has ever given their rivals and there will be a full house in the Calderon to see their side book an automatic return to the Champions League.

Real Madrid on contrast have had a dreadful week in which they have said goodbye to both their domestic and European title hopes (although they still have a mathematical chance of winning the league should they beat Espanyol and Barca lose).

Their Champions League exit to Juventus has started another round of soul searching and looking for those to blame and the future of several players as well as coach Carlo Ancelotti is now in doubt.

The best way to dispel those doubts is to take a convincing win away to Espanyol and it will be a test of team spirit, all be it one without the injured Sergio Ramos and Tony Kroos in the side.

It could all be over by 9pm, of not then another week of nerves awaits before the title is finally decided. Endi