La Liga Preview: Barca host Cordoba, Atletico travel to Bilbao

Barcelona can enter the New Year just one point behind Real Madrid, if they can surpass Cordoba in La Liga on Saturday.

Luis Enrique’s men could not break down Getafe in a 0-0 stalemate last time out in the top flight but can put the pressure back on Carlo Ancelotti’s leaders – given the latter’s league duties are complete for 2014, due to Club World Cup commitments.

Barca were also buoyed by an 8-1 Copa del Rey victory over Huesca on Tuesday, with Pedro on target with a hat-trick in the 12-1 aggregate triumph.

The meeting will be the sides’ first in La Liga, with Barca winning their Copa del Rey tie in 2012-13 7-0 on aggregate – including a 5-0 win at Camp Nou.

Third-placed Atletico Madrid are also looking to bounce back from a last-start league slip-up in their calendar year finale.

Diego Simeone’s men lost at home to in-form Villarreal, and are again on the road at the San Mames to face Athletic Bilbao.

Valencia and Villarreal have the chance to finish the year in fourth, given Sevilla’s clash with Real was postponed.

Nuno Espirito Santo’s men are on the road at Eibar, who held Sevilla last time out, while Villarreal can make it five straight wins to enter 2015 in a flurry if they surpass lowly Deportivo La Coruna at home.

Malaga could also potentially sneak into fourth with a big win over cellar-dwellers Elche and mistakes from Valencia and Villarreal.

Granada are winless in 11 in the league, ahead of their hosting of Getafe.

Levante and Real Sociedad, level on 14 points, do battle, while another pair that sit close in the table – Rayo Vallecano and Espanyol – are up against one another, the teams all square on 17 points.

On Friday, two teams wildly out of form go head-to-head – with Celta de Vigo, on a four-match losing streak, hosting second-bottom Almeria, on a run of three outs.

Almeria will play under new coach Juan Ignacio Martinez for the first time, after the recent sacking of Francisco.