La Liga preview: Valencia to test Barcelona at Camp Nou

Barcelona face a tough task against Valencia this weekend as La Liga leaders Real Madrid look set to run away with the title.

Pep Guardiola’s men have slipped 10 points adrift of Real Madrid after dropping points in two of their past three league outings.

A brace from Alexis Sanchez helped Barcelona to a 3-1 win at Bayer Leverkusen in their Champions League round-of-16 first-leg outing, a performance Guardiola was pleased with.

They host a Valencia side sitting third, having claimed their first league win of the year on Sunday, a 4-0 thrashing of strugglers Sporting Gijon.

Barcelona’s home record this league campaign is superb, with 10 wins and a draw that features 45 goals scored and just three conceded.

Just over a week ago Barcelona knocked Valencia out of the Copa del Rey, and they will enter Sunday’s clash as favourites with Lionel Messi hungry to add to his 23 league goals.

Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid host 18th-placed Racing Santander on Saturday.

The clash could provide an opportunity for Mourinho to rest several stars ahead of his team’s midweek Champions League trip to CSKA Moscow.

Copa del Rey finalists Athletic Bilbao welcome Malaga to Estadio San Mames as they aim to rebound from their 2-1 loss against Real Betis.

Atletico Madrid remain unbeaten under Diego Simeone and travel to Sporting Gijon, who unveiled Javier Clemente as their new boss on Tuesday.

Levante continue to hang onto fourth spot despite still being winless in the league this year, and their next chance to end that run is a clash at home to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.

Espanyol missed their chance to displace Levante after a loss to Real Zaragoza, and they meet Getafe on Saturday.

Villarreal are unbeaten in four matches and have moved three points clear of the drop zone ahead of their clash against Mallorca.

Sevilla will be searching for their first league win of 2012 when they host Osasuna on Saturday, while Real Sociedad visit Granada a day later.

After a 2-0 win over Espanyol, Real Zaragoza moved to within 10 points of safety ahead of their clash at home to Real Betis on Monday.