Real Madrid keep Barca in their sights

Real Madrid have picked up one point from the last six on the road so will be glad of some home comfort at their fortress Santiago Bernabeu when they host Malaga on Sunday as they bid to close the five-point gap on leaders Barcelona.

Real lost 1-0 at Athletic Bilbao last time out but are going for a 10th straight home victory in the league and need to maintain their 100 percent record to keep Barca within their sights.

Top-scorer Gonzalo Higuain is sidelined with a hamstring injury so the goals burden falls on the shoulders of Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo who has gone three games without a goal which is a drought by his high standards.

“I am not getting worked up about it,” said Ronaldo. “These things will come naturally because I’m working the same as I always do. I’m sure the goals are going to come.”

Since thrashing Real Zaragoza 6-0, Madrid have failed to score in two of the subsequent three matches at Osasuna (0-0) and Bilbao (1-0) so coach Manuel Pellegrini may choose to bring the club’s all-time leading goalscorer Raul back in from the cold after a lengthy spell on the substitutes bench.

Barcelona have not had much trouble in front of goal plundering nine goals in the last two league matches with Lionel Messi scoring five of the nine.

On Saturday Barcelona travel to fourth from bottom Valladolid knowing a win would put them eight points clear of Real, at least for 24 hours.

“It’s five points and that gives us confidence to keep on working,” said midfielder Xavi. “However, we can’t relax and we’ll try to stretch the lead over Madrid and Valencia.”

Barca have a few personnel problems in midfield with Sergi Busquets injured while Yaya Toure and Seydou Keita are at the African Cup of Nations but Xavi is confident that one of the centre-halves could step into the breach and play alongside him.

“Rafa (Marquez) has played very well over the years and Dima (Chigrinsky) is also very skillful and Gerard (Pique) played that role at (Real) Zaragoza so there are plenty of options,” Xavi explained.

Valladolid, one point above the relegation zone, have won one of their last 10 league matches and come up against an unbeaten Barcelona side that are boosted by the news that coach Pep Guardiola has agreed a new contract.

Guardiola agreed a one-year extension to his contract until the end of the 2010/11 season although the agreement will not be signed until after this summer’s elections.

Valencia have moved three points behind Real in third although David Silva admits the club don’t hold out much hope of a title challenge with Barcelona already eight points ahead.

“Up to now we have done things well but we have to keep our feet on the ground,” said Silva. “The target for Valencia is the Champions League ands it is important to finish third to avoid the qualifier.”

Valencia travel to Tenerife on Sunday defending the best away record in the league with seven wins from their nine outings.

Not so long ago Sevilla were riding high in third but four straight league defeats have seen them fall to sixth eight points behind Valencia.

Sevilla, routed 4-0 by Barcelona last time out, host Almeria on Saturday aiming to end the negative sequence and there should be some confidence from the 3-0 Kings Cup first leg quarter-final win at Deportivo La Coruna in midweek.

With Sevilla falling, Real Mallorca are the surprise package in fourth and hope to improve on their solitary away win when they travel to Espanyol on Sunday.

Deportivo La Coruna are two points behind Mallorca and on Saturday host an Athletic Bilbao side a point behind them and on a high after their 1-0 win over Real at San Mames.

In other matches, Atletico Madrid face Getafe on Sunday in a local derby at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez.

Atletico are targeting a fourth successive win in the league as they bid to claw their way into the European spots after a horrid start to the season.

Saturday

Sevilla v Almeria (1700 GMT), Valladolid v Barcelona (1900 GMT), Deportivo La Coruna v Athletic Bilbao (2100 GMT)

Sunday – all 1600 GMT unless stated

Sporting Gijon v Racing Santander, Tenerife v Valencia, Villarreal v Real Zaragoza, Xerez v Osasuna, Espanyol v Real Mallorca, Getafe v Atletico Madrid (1800 GMT), Real Madrid v Malaga (2000 GMT)