Barca in Malaga while Atletico entertain Celta in Spain's matchday 28

  MADRID, March 8 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona have to win in the ground where defeat last season cost them the Liga Santander title if they want to maintain their comfortable lead at the top of the Liga Santander in matchday 28 of the season.

   Barca travel to Malaga no doubt remembering that a shock 2-0 defeat in the Rosaleda Stadium last season allowed Real Madrid to take the lead in the race for the league title.     

   Things are different this time around and Barca travel to the south of Spain with an 8-point lead over Atletico Madrid after beating their nearest title rivals in the Camp Nou last weekend.

   Malaga meanwhile are rock bottom of the table with just 13 points from 27 games and have yet to win under coach Jose Gonzalez, who replaced Michel Gonzalez eight games ago.

   Andres Iniesta will miss the game with a hamstring injury and with a key Champions League tie at home to Chelsea the following week, Barca coach Ernesto Valverde will again have to decide whether or not to rest key players to keep them fresh for Europe.

   Atletico Madrid have to wait until Sunday afternoon before entertaining an irregular Celta Vigo in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium.

   Atletico have no injury worries, although their starting 11 may be conditioned by Thursday's Europa League tie at home to Lokomotiv Moscow.

   Friday sees Clarence Seedorf look for his first win after five games as Deportivo la Coruna coach as his side visit Girona, who are currently in seventh place and battling for a place in Europe.

   Real Madrid travel to Eibar on Saturday lunchtime with the Basque club also aiming for Europe.

   Madrid have renewed self-confidence following their Champions League success against Paris Saint Germain and have won all of their previous visits to the 7,000 capacity Ipurua Stadium.

   Eibar are without right back Ruben Pena and in-form winger Fabian Orellana, who has a hamstring injury.

   That game is followed by a key match in the Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium as fifth place Sevilla aim to close the gap on fourth placed Valencia knowing that anything other than a win will make it almost impossible for them to qualify for next season's Champions League. Sevilla coach Vincenzo Montella is unlikely to make many changes to his side despite a Champions League trip to Old Trafford the following week.

   New Levante coach Paco Lopez, who replaced Juan Muniz last week, needs to get a winning start in his debut which is away to Getafe. Levante have just one win from their last 21 matches and are just one point above the relegation zone.

   Sunday lunchtime sees Espanyol at home to Real Sociedad, before Atletico Madrid's game at home to Celta and the weekend finishes with Las Palmas looking for three vital points against a Villarreal struggling for form, while Athletic Club Bilbao take on Leganes, who they have failed to defeat in three previous top-flight meetings.  Enditem