Reigning champions Barca lead their arch rivals by a point with two matches left and play at Champions League hopefuls Sevilla, in fourth, while Real host Athletic Bilbao, who are eighth and bidding for a Europa League berth.

Ronaldo’s hat-trick against Real Mallorca on Wednesday put the Portuguese third on the La Liga scoring chart with 25, one behind team mate Gonzalo Higuain, and Argentine Messi leads on 31 after his double against Tenerife on Tuesday.

Ronaldo became the world’s most expensive player when he joined Real from Manchester United for around €94 million at the end of last season, while Messi has been at Barca since the age of 13. A Barca victory in Sevilla and a slip-up by Real at home to Bilbao will guarantee Pep Guardiola’s side a second straight title as they won both this season’s “Clasicos” and head-to-head record separates sides if they are level on points.

Barca’s total of 93 from 36 matches is a record, surpassing the 92 accumulated by Real under Fabio Capello in the 1996-97 season when there were 22 teams rather than 20.

“Let’s hope Sevilla can take points off them, but our fate is not in our own hands,” Real coach Manuel Pellegrini said at a news conference after the 4-1 win in Mallorca.

“Our obligation is to get to 98 points and we’ll see if Barca can get to 99.” Five teams are deep in relegation trouble, with promoted Xerez hanging on by a technical thread after their 3-1 defeat at Valencia on Tuesday.

Tiny Xerez, who have an annual budget around 40 times smaller than Real and Barca, are bottom on 30 points and their superior head-to-head record over Malaga is the only thing that is saving them from going straight back down.

Racing Santander are in 17th on 36, one point above the relegation places and the same tally as Malaga in 16th, who have a superior head-to-head record. Tenerife are 18th on 35 and Real Valladolid are 19th with 33.

In Saturday’s games, which are all at 1900 GMT, Xerez host Real Zaragoza, Racing travel to Valladolid, Malaga play at Getafe and Tenerife host Almeria.

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Real were comfortable 4-2 winners over local rivals Getafe on Thursday as they moved back to the summit, above Barcelona on goal difference, and now face more illustrious neighbours Atletico at their fortress Santiago Bernabeu where they have won all 14 home matches in the league.
Madrid have held the upper hand in the city derby to the extent that Atletico have not managed to beat their rivals for over a decade with their last win back in the 1999/00 season.

Real have plundered 78 goals in the league this season with Gonzalo Higuain leading the way with 22 goals in 22 appearances after grabbing a brace against Getafe.

“I am happy with my form and to be scoring goals,” said Higuain.

“There are 10 games left which is a long way to go and we have to stay calm and do what we have been doing. Now we have to concentrate on beating Atletico (Madrid) on Sunday.”

Real, who will face Barcelona on the weekend of April 10/11, won the first game 3-2 in a scintillating derby at the Vicente Calderon that could have ended in a draw but for a fine last minute save from Iker Casillas.

Atletico defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-0 on Thursday to move five points off the top six and captain Antonio Lopez said his side were far from intimidated.

“Real Madrid don’t scare me,” said Antonio Lopez. “They are special games and we hope for a different result to that of the last few years.

“We started the league campaign very poorly and now we are in no-man’s land but we are going to climb up some places in the table.”

Champions Barcelona, behind Real on goal difference, have a testing game on Saturday when they travel to fourth-placed Real Mallorca who have been a real force at home this season.

Mallorca have won 12 out of their 13 home games and beat Barcelona in this fixture last season, although Barca had already been crowned champions.

Barcelona scrapped to a 2-0 win over Osasuna on Wednesday in what was a far from vintage performance but they got the points thanks to late goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Bojan Krkic.

“We have to win games whatever it takes because we have a team (Real Madrid) up there with us that is doing very well and it is going to be very complicated for us and them,” said midfielder Andres Iniesta.

People are saying Barcelona are not as strong as last season but their tally of 71 points is two more than they had at the same stage last season. The problem is Real have upped the ante with 71 points compared with their 63 at this stage 12 months ago.

In other matches, Sevilla travel to Villarreal on Sunday as they come to terms with the dismissal of coach Manolo Jimenez on Tuesday following the 1-1 draw with bottom side Xerez.

Jimenez has guided Sevilla to the Kings Cup final but a Champions League exit to CSKA Moscow and no win since late February in the league brought about the end of his two-and-a-half year tenure.

Sevilla are currently outside the Champions League spots in fifth, two points behind Mallorca, and have a long injury list with Diego Perotti, Jesus Navas and Luis Fabiano three key players on the sidelines.

Villarreal have changed coaches too this season getting rid of Ernesto Valverde and his replacement Juan Carlos Garrido is trying to get the club into the top six.

At the moment Villarreal are five points off the European places.

Valencia have taken advantage of Villarreal’s and Sevilla’s woes this season to claim third place, six points above Mallorca, and are targeting a third consecutive win at Real Zaragoza on Saturday.

Valencia’s top-scorer David Villa is expected to be out after going to hospital with head trauma.

Fixtures

Saturday

Malaga v Tenerife
Real Mallorca v Barcelona
Real Zaragoza v Valencia

Sunday

Osasuna v Almeria
Xerez v Valladolid
Espanyol v Sporting Gijon
Deportivo La Coruna v Getafe
Villarreal v Sevilla
Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid

Monday

Athletic Bilbao v Racing Santander

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The 24-year-old is the “favourite” of Real chairman Florentino Perez “for the new plan,” the newspaper ABC said.

Perez “has had his eye on Rooney for a long time, even more so in view of the great season he’s having”.

The England striker has unleashed an incredible burst of 24 goals in his last 22 matches that have kept United in contention in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Spanish media says it is unlikely that Rooney will follow former United star David Beckham to Spain.

Real are unlikely to accept the probable €70 million price tag and United manager Alex Ferguson is unwilling “to lose a player who is a substitute for Cristiano” Ronaldo, the Portuguese winger who was signed by Real last year for a world record fee.

Sports daily Marca reported Real are also keen on Chelsea’s England defender Ashley Cole to boost their back line.

The club splashed out more than €250 million on world stars last summer and are currently top of the Primera Liga on goal difference from Barcelona.

However, their exit from the Champions League in the last-16 stage to Lyon last week means they are now looking to prepare for next season.

Real veteran Guti (33) has been the talk of the Madrid media after his audacious back heel — which has been replayed constantly on Spanish television this week — set up Real’s standout goal against Depor and the club hope he can produce more moments of magic as they attempt to overtake Barca.
Barcelona have notched up four consecutive wins without conceding a goal and will entertain Getafe at Camp Nou on Saturday before Real take to the field against Espanyol.

“It was important for us to lift the Depor curse and the league is far from over,” said Guti. “Barcelona don’t seem to drop any points so we can’t afford to make any mistakes.”

Guti looked to be on his way out of the club following a rift with coach Manuel Pellegrini earlier in the season but that now seems to be water under the bridge and the playmaker is even dreaming of making Spain’s World Cup despite winning the last of his 15 caps back in 2005.

Real will again be without Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portuguese striker completes his two-match suspension but a perfect 30 points from 10 league games at home make Madrid strong favourites for the win despite his absence.

“Cristiano Ronaldo is one of the best players in the world but we are a team and can’t rely on one player,” said defender Raul Albiol.

Espanyol, down in 14th, have won just once away from home, largely due to their woeful three goals on the road, but have a habit of turning it on against the big sides.

Barcelona will be cheering on their city rivals while Real hope their neighbours Getafe can at least take a point at unbeaten Barcelona.

Getafe could be heavy-legged after playing the first leg of their Kings Cup semifinal on Wednesday — losing 2-0 at Sevilla — while Barcelona are rested after no midweek commitment.

The Madrid media insinuated that leaders Barcelona were the beneficiaries of kind refereeing decisions but Mali international Seydou Keita said such suggestions were wide of the mark.

“Barcelona are ahead of Real Madrid because we are better and not because of the referees,” emphasised Keita. “I don’t know if someone’s trying to unsettle the referees with these comments.”

In other matches, Villarreal stand-in coach Juan Carlos Garrido takes charge of the team for the first time in Sunday’s match at Real Mallorca following the dismissal of coach Ernesto Valverde.

“After 11 years here (as reserve team coach) I know the club well and the players,” said Garrido. “I think Villarreal have some of the best players in the world and you just have to look at the national teams for evidence of that.”

A trip to Mallorca is not the easiest start considering the islanders have won all nine games at their fortress Ono stadium and lie fifth.

Struggling Valladolid also got rid of their manager with Jose Luis Mendilibar with the club hovering one place above the relegation zone and reserve team coach Onesimo Sanchez has taken over and must fire up the team for a testing trip to Valencia on Saturday.

Valencia are in third, three points above Sevilla who beat them 2-1 last time out.

That win helped Sevilla move back into the top four and they aim to close in further on Valencia with victory against lowly Real Zaragoza on Sunday.

Sevilla put one step in the Kings Cup final with a 2-0 semifinal first leg win over Getafe on Wednesday so confidence is high.

Atletico Madrid gained a huge psychological boost ahead of their Sunday clash with Racing Santander after they thrashed the same opponents 4-0 in Thursday’s King’s Cup semifinal first leg meeting.

Atletico may be going strong in the cup but languish down in 13th in the league a full 13 points off the top four.

Fixtures

Saturday Valencia v Valladolid (5pm GMT)
Barcelona v Getafe (7pm GMT)
Real Madrid v Espanyol (9pm GMT)

Sunday – all 4pm GMT unless stated
Malaga v Deportivo La Coruna
Osasuna v Tenerife
Real Mallorca v Villarreal
Almeria v Sporting Gijon
Real Zaragoza v Sevilla (6pm GMT)
Racing Santander v Atletico Madrid (8pm GMT)

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It said the world’s most expensive player had been punished “for resorting to dangerous play that caused an injury” to an opponent.

It also fined Real 180 euros and Ronaldo 600 euros.

Ronaldo spoiled a stellar two-goal display on Sunday by getting sent off after a stray elbow caught Danish defender Patrick Mtiliga, who tugged the Portuguese winger’s shirt during the 2-0 win over Malaga.

Real’s sporting director, Jorge Valdano, described the referee’s decision as “unfair and “very hard.”

But, speaking prior to the disciplinary committee’s decision, he told Spain’s COPE radio that Real “will accept any decision” by the body.

The former Manchester United star said Monday he also felt his red card was unjust.

“I’ve spoken to Mtiliga and he said he doesn’t believe I should apologise because he doesn’t think I hurt him intentionally,” he was quoted as saying on the club’s website.

“I never try to trick referees. I never intended to injure the player. I believe they should be fair with what really happened.”

Mtiliga suffered a broken nose in the clash and has been ordered to “rest for a week,” Malaga said in a statement on Monday.

It was the second dismissal of the season for Ronaldo, who was sent off in a 4-2 win over Almeria on December 5 for kicking out at an opponent.

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It was all going swimmingly for Ronaldo who had ended a run of three games without a goal with a quick-fire brace (35th and 39th minutes) to take his season’s tally to nine but his volatile temperament surfaced again on 70 minutes.

Ronaldo elbowed defender Patrick Mtiliga as he tugged the former Manchester United man’s shirt and the referee had no hesitation in reaching for the red card.

It was a second dismissal of the season for Ronaldo who was sent off in a 4-2 win over Almeria on December 5 for kicking out at an opponent.

While Ronaldo’s sending off put a dampener on the win, Real will be relieved to bounce back from their Athletic Bilbao defeat with a 10th successive home win to close to within five points of Barcelona.

Barcelona beat Valladolid 3-0 on Saturday to go unbeaten for the first half of the season although no Spanish team has gone a whole 38-game season undefeated.

Guti, 33, made his first league start for Real since September after healing his rift with coach Manuel Pellegrini and even had the captain’s armband with Raul on the bench.

With eight minutes gone Malaga rattled the crossbar when Sergio Duda’s cross came off Xabi Alonso’s head and looped onto the bar.

Iker Casillas had a hairy moment near the half hour mark with the goalkeeper bizarrely using his head to block a chipped shot as he was outside of the area.

Ronaldo then took centre stage with two goals in four destructive minutes.

Guti, Karim Benzema and Kaka all combined quickly to put the ball on a plate for Ronaldo to roll home the 35th minute opener.

Malaga then witnessed Ronaldo in full flow as he collected Guti’s pass before firing a fierce shot into the corner.

Malaga had previously gone 10 games unbeaten in league, although eight of them were draws, but they knew there was no comeback this time around.

In the second half Ronaldo was gunning for his first ever Real hat-trick but instead the red mist descended again and his night ended on 70 minutes when he elbowed Mtiliga in the face.

Getafe came out on top in the local derby with Atletico Madrid defeating their 10-man neighbours 1-0 on Sunday to move four points off the Champions League spots.

Since winning promotion in 2004, Getafe had never beaten local rivals Atletico in the league at their Coliseum Alfonso Perez home but Manu del Moral’s 38th minute goal ended that sequence.

For Atletico, who had midfielder Paulo Assuncao sent off, it brought an end to a run of three successive league victories and they are now ten points off the top six.

Both Atletico and Getafe are in Kings Cup action on Thursday as they bid to reach the semi-finals of the competition.

Earlier Valencia missed the chance to keep pace with the top two following a frustrating 0-0 draw at promoted Tenerife on Sunday.

“We weren’t at our best today,” said Valencia coach Unai Emery.

“However, we are in a great position in the league and have to keep on going.”

Valencia sit five points ahead of Real Mallorca, who reclaimed fourth spot with a 1-1 draw at Espanyol on Sunday.

In other matches, Villarreal got back to winning ways with a 4-2 victory over struggling Real Zaragoza at El Madrigal.

Despite the win Villarreal are still down in ninth, seven points off the desired European places.

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Messi, who twisted his right ankle during Barca’s Champions League match away to Dynamo Kiev last week, missed their first training session in Abu Dhabi on Monday, staying in the hotel for treatment, the team said.

“He’s fed up, but keen to recover and see if he can make it to the match,” the European champions’ captain Carles Puyol told reporters after the session.

Puyol said Barcelona were keen to round off a brilliant year with the world title that escaped them three years ago when they lost 1-0 to Internacional of Brazil in the final in Japan.

“The team have already made history but we want more, that’s why we’re here,” said Puyol.

“We’re keen and have a dream. We had the chance to win it and we let it slip. We hope that won’t happen again.”

Barcelona had a light session given that they had a long flight from home on Sunday, having won the city derby 1-0 against Espanyol on Saturday.

“We’re used to playing lots of matches in a row with little time to rest,” Puyol said as Barcelona prepared for a third match in eight days in three different competitions.

He said Mexican side Atlante were an attractive footballing side in a vein similar to Barcelona.

“They’re a daring side who like to play the ball and they have quality players like Santiago Solari, who I know well having faced him before, and fast, skilful players up front,” he said.

Solari played several times in the big Spanish “clasico” against Barcelona while he was at Real Madrid between 2000 and 2005.

South American champions Estudiantes of Argentina meet Asia’s Pohang Steelers of South Korea in the first semi-final on Tuesday.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who was exceptional, both started but it was Ibrahimovic who stole the limelight volleying in a 56th minute winner just five minutes after coming on.

Barca were reduced to 10 men when Sergi Busquets stupidly handballed just after the hour mark and needed some heroics from captain Carles Puyol, who produced three crucial blocks, against a Real side that missed some clear-cut chances.

It was a third successive Clasico win for Barca who are still unbeaten this season and nudge Real off the summit holding a two-point lead over their rivals.

Ronaldo started for the first time since the end of September with Real coach Manuel Pellegrini feeling his ankle was strong enough.

Ronaldo’s return saw Karim Benzema drop to the bench while captain Raul had to be content with a place on the bench.

Barcelona started with Messi who shrugged off a thigh strain but Ibrahimovic was on the bench with a thigh strain of his own so Thierry Henry kept his place in attack.

It was touted as the Clasico between Real’s ‘Galacticos’, the most expensive team on the planet, and the homegrown talent of Barca’s ‘cantera’ who the most successful team on the planet last season when they won a unique treble.

Real were second best in terms of posession and Messi looked match fit as he thrust at the Real defence twisting Pepe inside out but Henry’s poor low shot ended the danger.

Barca were passing like they can do but Real were looking the more dangerous.

On 19 minutes Ronaldo should have scored after Kaka cut inside before sliding the ball accross goal but Ronaldo’s side-footed shot was saved brilliantly by Victor Valdes using his trailing foot.

It was then Barca captain Puyol’s turn for a heroic block to deny Marcelo on 29 minutes.

Ibrahimovic came on for Henry minutes into the second half and had an immediate impact on his Clasico debut scoring the opener five minutes after coming on.

Dani Alves curled a delightful ball across the face of goal and Ibrahimovic arrived on cue guiding a left-footed volley past Iker Casillas.

Barca looked in control but Busquets was then sent off for handball just after the hour mark and Pep Guardiola was furious with his midfielder.

Real threw on Benzema but Barca should have made it 2-0 but Gerard Pique headed wide.

Down to ten men Barca still attacked although Real had chances with Ronaldo heading over and Puyol producing another great block to thwart Benzema.

Real substitute Raul skied from right in front of goal while Casillas pulled off a wonder save to deny Messi at the death.

Madrid’s Lass Diarra was sent off in the closing stages for hacking down Xavi after Barca pinged the ball about like they were in training.

Earlier former Real Madrid striker Roberto Soldado scored his second hat-trick of the season as Getafe heaped more misery on bottom side Xerez with a 5-1 thrashing at the Coliseum on Sunday.

Promoted Xerez actually took the lead with only their fourth goal of the season but Soldado equalised on 44 minutes and then netted his second 60 seconds later from the penalty spot.

To make matters worse Xerez had David Prieto sent off for giving away the penalty for a foul on Daniel Parejo.

Getafe exploited the numerical advantage scoring three times in as many minutes with Soldado wrapping up his hat-trick on 58 minutes.

It was a second treble for the striker following his hat-trick in a 4-1 win over Racing Santander.

In other matches, Deportivo La Coruna moved level on points with Valencia in fourth thanks to a 1-0 win at Racing Santander.

Atletico Madrid are also in action later when they host Espanyol at the Vicente Calderon.

Argentine Gonzalo Higuain’s goal after 22 minutes sealed a nervy Real victory that hardly appeased a Santiago Bernabeu crowd seething at the embarassing Kings Cup exit to third division Alcorcon in the last home match.

Champions Barcelona can reclaim top spot with vicory at Athletic Bilbao later on Saturday before the eagerly-anticipated clash between Real and Barca at Camp Nou next Sunday.

Real began without the sidelined Cristiano Ronaldo for the tenth consecutive game while captain Raul started on the subtitutes bench for the third successive league game.

Xabi Alonso rattled the post for Real in the opening stages while former Liverpool team-mate Alvaro Arbeloa saw his overhit cross clip the same post.

A Real goal looked on the cards and they got a helping hand when goalkeeper Tono foolishly pushed Kaka’s cross into the danger zone and Higuain had an easy tap in on 22 minutes.

It was a nightmare start for Racing coach Miguel Angel Portugal in his first game in charge but Real didn’t build on their encouraging start.

Luis Garcia had three good shooting chances for Racing but failed to hit the target on each occasion.

Higuain should have scored his second on 70 minutes but Tono pulled off a fine save to keep his side in the match.

Racing then had what looked a perfectly valid equaliser ruled out for offside leaving Racing goalscorer Sergio Canales dumbfounded.

Real now host FC Zurich in the Champions League on Wednesday needing a win with AC Milan on the same points and Marseille just a point behind.

Barcelona are also in Champions League action at home to Inter Milan on Tuesday in a must-win game for the holders.

However, the immediate priority for Barca is beating Bilbao to ensure they are in front of Real for the Clasico at Camp Nou.

Sevilla kept up their own title charge with a 2-1 win at promoted Tenerife on Saturday to stay three points behind leaders Real.

Highly-rated Argentine winger Diego Perotti and Brazilian Renato were on target as Sevilla kept pace with powerhouses Barcelona and Real in the title race.

The 21-year-old Perotti, who won his first cap for Argentina this month, struck the opener on 32 minutes before Brazilian Renato added a second three minutes after the break.

Manolo Jimenez’s side now travel to Unirea Urziceni in the Champions League on Tuesday with qualification for the knockout stage secure.

Elsewhere Deportivo La Coruna moved up to fourth with a dramatic 2-1 home win over Atletico Madrid.

Mexican Andres Guardado converted a controversial penalty five minutes into stoppage time to down Atletico who stay in the bottom three with coach Quique Sanchez Flores still waiting for his first league win in charge.

“We weren’t expecting that ending but things like that can happen in football,” said Flores. “It is not going to be easy to bounce back in the league.”

The game looked poised to end 1-1 but Pablo Ibanez conceded a penalty at the death and Guardado made no mistake.

Atletico forward Sergio “Kun” Aguero was furious about the decision with coach Flores coming onto the pitch to calm him down while Atletico midfielder Cleber Santana was sent off for complaining.

Real managed to win only 1-0 on the night at the Bernabeu and crashed out 4-1 over two legs to the tiny Segunda B club, who play in the same division as Real’s youth team and have an annual budget more than four hundred times smaller than the La Liga giants.

Even the Madrid-based sports papers showed no mercy, as club and fans woke up to the fact that their expensively assembled squad can no longer match the title treble of Champions League, La Liga and Cup achieved last season by arch-rivals Barcelona.

“Complete disaster,” screamed the headline in As. “Unprecedented farce,” bellowed Marca above a picture of the celebrating Alcorcon players. The paper said it refused to put any photos of Real on the front page as they did not deserve it.

Fans chanted for Pellegrini to quit when he brought on defender Marcelo for midfielder Lassana Diarra with around 20 minutes left and the Madrid papers focused much of their ire on the Chilean.

Why were the uninspiring midfield pair of Mahamadou Diarra and Fernando Gago included in the starting lineup and striker Karim Benzema and creative midfielders Xabi Alonso and Guti left out of the squad altogether, asked Delfin Melero in Marca.

“The final whistle made possible an unprecedented situation,” Melero wrote. “The Bernabeu booed its own team and coach and gave an ovation to Alcorcon, a team with spirit that demonstrated to Madrid that without pride and without a plan you’re going nowhere.”

FESTERING WOUNDS

Tomas Guasch, writing in As, said it was “completely unacceptable” that Pellegrini had changed the starting lineup he had used for the previous three matches and that was beginning to gel.

“And that there wasn’t a single forward on the bench is absolutely unacceptable too,” he added.

Club captain Raul said the squad needed time to adapt to the influx of new players, including record signing Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema.

“Sometimes it’s difficult for a new project to go well right from the start,” the striker told a news conference after training on Wednesday.

“Maybe it’s taking too long but we have confidence in the coach and we cannot throw in the towel,” he added. “We have to continue working as there is room for improvement.”

El Mundo columnist Orfeo Suarez noted that Real president Florentino Perez was not known for his loyalty to coaches and said the spectacle of the fans calling for Pellegrini’s head did not bode well for the Chilean.

“Madrid will make an effort to back the coach and quickly turn the page but wounds left behind can fester,” he wrote.

Many papers did not miss the irony of an appearance by Perez on television earlier on Tuesday in which he played down the club’s trophy expectations this season.

“We are at the start of a new project; we are giving it stability,” the construction magnate, who spent around 250 million on players in the close season, told Cuatro.

“We aren’t going to get nervous because it hasn’t all come together perfectly in the first year.”

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