Valladolid need at least a point and they will get it!
There are only 90 minutes left between Barcelona and the title but they will have to earn it with a victory at home against relegation battlers Valladolid. Will they be able to claim the win or will they crack under pressure?
With nine games left to play Barcelona are still leading the chase for the title but Real Madrid are just five point behind Guardiola's men. It's clear that it will be a two-horse race since third placed Villarreal are no less than 24 points behind the leaders but who will win it in the end?
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola admits tonight's Primera Division clash away to Sevilla is a must-win match for his side as they look to seal a second successive league title.
Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini believes Saturday could be the decisive day in the Primera Division title race. Leaders Barcelona and second-placed Madrid both claimed 4-1 wins in midweek to leave the two Spanish superpowers just one point apart heading into the penultimate round of fixtures - a round that Pellegrini feels may be crucial.
The Spanish league will resume on January third and the top of the table looks like this after 16 games:
1. Barcelona - 43 points
2. Real Madrid - 41 points
3. Villarreal - 33 points
Who will win the title this season?
Second placed Real Madrid have no other option than winning the game since last week's 1-0 defeat at Osasuna put Barcelona seven points clear at the top. Promoted Real Sociedad are enjoying a good season and they are in 9th place after 21 league games.
I can see Bilbao holding out for a draw here, maybe even more!
League leaders Real Madrid will have a tricky home game on Saturday as Basque side Athletic Bilbao will be coming at Santiago Bernabeu. Real have to win in order to stay top of the table but Bilbao is not a team that one can beat easily. Athletic Bilbao are 8th before this weekend.
After beating relegation candidates Malaga 7-0 in midweek Real Madrid will be traveling to meet 12th placed Racing Santander on Sunday. Racing grabbed a 1-1 draw at bottom club Almeria on Thursday but they would surely welcome at least another point on Sunday to stay out of relegation trouble.
Euro 2008 winner Marcos Senna has been left out of Spain's final 23-man squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. the team boss has cited poor performance by the Brazilian-born midfielder while he played for Villarreal in the Primera Liga this season.
