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Barca have chance to go back to stop in Spain's match day 21

Xinhua, January 21, 2016 Adjust font size:

FC Barcelona have the chance to go back to the top of the BBVA Primera Liga for 24 hours at least in the 21st round of matches in Spain.

Barca travel to face Malaga on Saturday afternoon, a slight handicap given that they played a tough King's Cup tie away to Athletic Club Bilbao on Wednesday afternoon.

Coach Luis Enrique will probably be able to welcome Leo Messi back into the side after he missed out on Wednesday with a slight injury, while Luis Suarez also returns after suspension.

Malaga had enjoyed a run of seven games without defeat before that was cut short away to Sevilla last week.

League leaders Atletico Madrid play on Sunday and Diego Simeone's side have a tough game at home to Sevilla who have climbed into the top-six with a much improved run of form.

Sevilla's challenge is to improve their results away from home and the Calderon can be a tough game to visit.

Antoine Griezmann and Luciano Vietto will lead the Atletico attack, while Kevin Gameiro will have the job of doing the same for Sevilla.

Real Madrid have scored 10 goals in the first two matches since Zinedine Zidane replaced Rafael Benitez and they will be confident of another win when they face Betis in Seville.

Betis have slipped down the table and seen coach Pepe Mel sacked and replaced by Juan Merino and gave signs of life as they drew 0-0 away to Villarreal a week ago.

Real Madrid should be able to welcome Sergio Ramos back after a calf injury, but Gareth Bale will be sidelined for three weeks after tearing a calf muscle against Sporting Gijon last week.

Sporting kick off the round of matches and need to win at home to Real Sociedad in order to climb out of the relegation zone. Sporting are starting to pay the price for their limited squad, while Real Sociedad are slowly but surely improving under Eusebio Sacristan.

Saturday's remaining matches see Espanyol, whose purchase by the Chinese 'Rastar Group' was completed during the week, entertain fourth placed Villarreal, while Granada coach Jose Ramon Sandoval needs his side to win at home to Getafe otherwise he would well be the next coach to lose his job.

Meanwhile there is another late kick off for Rayo, who need to improve their defense if they are to beat Celta Vigo and climb out of the bottom three.

There is a Basque derby to kick off on Sunday lunchtime as Athletic Club entertain Eibar, who are sixth in the table and flying following their 5-1 win over Granada on Monday. That win means Eibar have only one point less than they managed in all of last season and are virtually safe from any threat of relegation.

Gary Neville is still searching for his first league win as Valencia boss and his side needs to improve on their display against Rayo last week if they are to get anything from Deportivo la Coruna.

The round of matches finishes on Monday as bottom of the table Levante entertain fellow strugglers, Las Palmas. Endit