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Carlo Ancelotti says Luka Modric's thigh injury is "forgotten" as the midfielder continues his rehabilitation.
Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti was in positive mood concerning Luka Modric's comeback from a long-term thigh injury.
Modric has not played since November after sustaining the problem while on international duty with Croatia.
It was announced on Thursday that Modric had returned to training with the first team and Ancelotti was satisfied with how his rehabilitation had progressed.
"Modric is improving a lot and it's going very well," he said in a press conference on Saturday. "It can be said that his injury is forgotten.
"He will be ready for El Clasico [next month]."
Ancelotti also lavished praise on defender Pepe, recently returned from a rib injury, before providing updates on Sergio Ramos and Fabio Coentrao.
"Pepe's return is great," he said. "He has safety, confidence and personality. He helps the young people who also play as centre-back.
"Ramos' recovery is going very well. Coentrao will train with the team again next week."
Real visit Elche in La Liga on Sunday and Ancelotti is expecting a tough encounter despite their hosts' lowly position in the table, one place above the relegation zone.
"There is pressure because tomorrow will be a difficult game," he said. "Our goal is to win and to stay leader in La Liga.
"Elche has improved a lot the last 15 days, it will be a match with a lot of intensity and rhythm.
"I don't know if I will rotate tomorrow. I think it will be more or less the same as it was against Schalke."
Diego Simeone is in discussions to extend his current contract with Spanish champions Atletico Madrid.
Diego Simeone has confirmed that he is negotiating a contract extension with Atletico Madrid.
The Argentinian watched his Spanish champions ease to a 3-0 La Liga victory against Almeria on Saturday and revealed after the match that talks are ongoing to keep him at the Vicente Calderon beyond his current deal.
Reports have linked Simeone with Premier League champions Manchester City but he appears set to spurn any advances from the Etihad Stadium.
"It's clear that I'm very happy with the club, that I love Atletico Madrid," Simeone told a media conference following Saturday's victory.
"We are trying to continue this project started three years ago and we are evaluating the two parties with the same enthusiasm and the same inclination."
Simeone's contract was last renewed in March 2013, with that deal running until 2017.
But with interest in his services continuing to grow after Atletico secured their first league title since 1996 last season while also reaching the UEFA Champions League final, the club are believed to be keen on keeping Simeone in the Spanish capital beyond 2020.
Barcelona suffered a shock La Liga loss on Saturday, while Atletico Madrid returned to winning ways.
Barcelona were once again left frustrated by Malaga as the Liga title challengers slumped to a 1-0 home defeat and saw their 11-match winning run come to a halt.
Malaga claimed a 0-0 draw after successfully nullifying Lionel Messi and Neymar when the two sides met at La Rosaleda in September, and they were just as effective again, producing a determined display to claim their first Camp Nou victory since 1999.
Luis Suarez, who missed their last meeting, was unable to inspire a change in Barca's fortunes this time around, as their usually lethal frontline struggled after Juanmi capitalised on an early Dani Alves error to break the deadlock.
Atletico Madrid started what could be a season-defining run of fixtures with a convincing 3-0 win against Almeria at Vicente Calderon on Saturday.
Mario Mandzukic scored an early penalty before teeing up two first-half goals for strike partner Antoine Griezmann, as Diego Simeone's side cruised past their struggling visitors - although they played the last few minutes with 10 men after Guilherme Siqueira was sent off for a second booking late on.
It was still a welcome win for the champions, who currently sit third behind rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona having lost to Celta Vigo last time out.
Valencia opened up a five-point gap on fifth-placed Sevilla with a hard-fought 2-1 victory at Cordoba.
Nabil Ghilas' second-half penalty had cancelled out Andre Gomes' goal as bottom side Cordoba looked set to earn a point.
But Pablo Piatti proved to be the hero for Valencia with his 81st-minute effort.
Celta Vigo extended their unbeaten league run to four games with a 2-0 victory at Deportivo La Coruna, who finished the clash with 10 men.
Real Madrid took full advantage of Barcelona's shock defeat to move four points clear at the top of La Liga with a 2-0 win at Elche.
Real Madrid opened up a four-point lead at the top of La Liga thanks to a comfortable 2-0 win at struggling Elche on Sunday.
In Carlo Ancelotti's 100th game in charge of the club, second-half goals from Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo secured maximum points.
Benzema tapped in from close range in the 56th minute, and Ronaldo netted his 38th of the season in all competitions with a powerful header 13 minutes later.
It completed a productive weekend for Real, who had seen title rivals Barcelona lose 1-0 at home to Malaga 24 hours previously.
There was a thrilling finale to the game at the Anoeta Stadium as Real Sociedad scored twice in the final eight minutes to secure a 4-3 win over Sevilla.
David Moyes' side took the lead through Imanol Agirretxe in the 16th minute, but Sevilla levelled two minutes prior to the interval courtesy of Timothee Kolodziejczak.
Xabi Prieto's penalty shortly after half-time restored Real's lead, but Carlos Bacca and then Kevin Gameiro's spot-kick put Sevilla in front for the first time with 12 minutes to go.
However, Alejandro Arribas' inexplicable own goal brought the hosts level once more, and Prieto won it in the final minute by heading home Ruben Pardo's corner as Sevilla's hopes of securing a top-four finish and UEFA Champions League football took a blow.
Elsewhere, Aritz Aduriz's late effort earned Athletic Bilbao a 1-0 win over Rayo Vallecano and Luciano Vietto's 11th league goal of the season saw Villarreal overcome Eibar by the same scoreline.
Real Madrid opened up a four-point lead over Barcelona in the La Liga title race on Sunday, but Carlo Ancelotti is not getting complacent.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti played down the significance of holding a four-point lead over Barcelona at the top of La Liga following their 2-0 win at Elche on Sunday.
Ancelotti's men capitalised on a rare slip-up from Barca, who lost 1-0 at home to Malaga on Saturday, with a routine victory at the Martinez Valero in the Italian's 100th game in charge of Real.
Karim Benzema - who had earlier seen an acrobatic effort wrongly disallowed for offside - opened the scoring with his 18th goal of the season from close range in the 56th minute.
Cristiano Ronaldo then headed home a second 13 minutes later to secure a result that cemented Real's grip on top spot.
Despite their advantage, though, Ancelotti is refusing to get complacent about Real's title prospects.
"It was an important game after what happened yesterday [Saturday], above all to take a distance over Barcelona," Ancelotti said.
"It is clear that yesterday's defeat surprised everyone, as Barca had been in very good form, playing very well.
"[It is] clear we have a lead now, but as I have said many times this title will be decided on the last day of the season."
Ancelotti's time in charge at The Santiago Bernabeu has seen him win the UEFA Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, the Copa del Rey and the UEFA Super Cup.
And, after marking his century with three points, Ancelotti delivered a modest assessment of his spell at the helm of the capital club.
"The first 100 have gone well," Ancelotti added. "And I hope the next 100 do too.”
Elche midfielder Aaron Niguez has apologised for his late tackle on Gareth Bale during his side's 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid on Sunday.
Following his late challenge on Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale on Sunday, Elche midfielder Aaron Niguez has taken to Twitter to issue an apology.
The Spaniard brought Bale down early on in the second half of Real's 2-0 win at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero - sliding in recklessly and catching his opponent on his left ankle.
Bale was able to play on and finish the game, but Aaron subsequently apologised for the challenge.
"I wanted to apologize for the unfortunate tackle...I did not want to injure," he wrote via Twitter.
Isco is the most important player for Spain's footballing future, according to club and country team-mate Iker Casillas.
Iker Casillas has claimed Real Madrid and Spain team-mate Isco is the most important player for the future of Spanish football.
The former Malaga midfielder has impressed for Real this term, helping fill the void left by Luka Modric's injury-enforced absence to represent a key part of Carlo Ancelotti's title-chasing side.
The 22-year-old was particularly influential in Real's 2-0 win over Elche on Sunday - setting up Cristiano Ronaldo for the second goal - and Casillas has no doubts over the youngster's talent.
"He is the most important player for the future of Spanish football," Casillas told Canal Plus.
"He has to focus on his game because flattery can weaken players."
Real have lost just one game in 10 following their success at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero, with Ancelotti's side recovering well from their 4-0 derby mauling at the hands of Atletico Madrid.
Casillas - who made his 500th La Liga appearance on Sunday - feels Real are back on track.
"We're getting there. In two weeks football can change a lot. Before there was a barrage of criticism and now things are quiet," he added.
"We know that at Real Madrid the criticism must be harsh and sometimes it can be soft. We have recovered from the puncture at the Calderon and we are where we want to be.
"We have always had attitude. It’s normal to have ups and downs. In the good times things are easy but there must be more unity in the bad times. That’s what we have done."
Levante won Monday's Liga relegation clash over Granada in a thrilling game that featured as many red cards as goals.
David Barral's 94th-minute winner took Levante within a point of safety in La Liga courtesy of an astonishing 2-1 victory over Granada.
The sides came into the game at Estadio Ciudad de Valencia locked on 19 points in the relegation zone, but it was Lucas Alcaraz's side who edged a game featuring three goals and three red cards.
Youssef El-Arabi put Granada into a 13th-minute lead from the penalty spot, though the game came to life 18 minutes from time when Adrian Colunga was sent off for a cynical trip on Barral.
Ivan Ramis and El-Arabi were given their marching orders seven minutes later for an off-the ball clash, leaving Abel Resino's visitors short of options.
And it proved to be their undoing as Victor Camarasa capitalised on Oier Olazabal's weak punch to volley home from the edge of the area.
Levante poured forward and had their reward in the fourth minute of stoppage time, Barral latching onto Kalu Uche's flick amid offside claims from Granada to curl beyond Olazabal and seal a vital three points.
Former Malaga midfielder Santi Cazorla feels guilty for his swift departure from the La Liga club in 2012.
Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla attempted to clear the air with Malaga supporters by issuing an apology for not saying goodbye properly in 2012.
After helping Malaga qualify for the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League courtesy of a fourth-place finish in La Liga, Cazorla joined Arsenal for a £16.5million fee.
Malaga fans were angered by the Spaniard's swift departure but the 30-year-old has apologised for the manner in which he exited the club.
"I left because the club needed money," Cazorla told Sky Sports' Spanish football show Revista de la Liga.
"Arsenal was a good opportunity, but Malaga wasn't stable and it wasn't clear where they were headed.
"I know that in Malaga lots of people haven't forgiven me for the way I left.
"When I signed for Arsenal, everything happened so quick, I had to go to London.
"Arsenal had already started their pre-season and I had to go over there for a medical, and then I had to go to Holland to start to train with the squad.
"That all meant that I couldn't go to Malaga to hold a press conference to say goodbye to everyone face to face.
"In the end, I could only write a letter in which I expressed my gratitude and my affection for the club. I know a lot of people didn't like that.
"I'd like to apologise for not being able to say goodbye properly as I know that would have been the best thing.
"It still bothers me that I didn't get to do that for the fans."
Dani Alves' Barcelona future is uncertain, according to president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is unsure if full-back Dani Alves will re-sign with the La Liga giants.
Dani Alves has been linked with a move away and the 31-year-old's contract expires at the end of the season, and his agent has listened to offers from other clubs.
Seemingly in no rush to finalise a new deal for Dani Alves, Bartomeu admitted to being uncertain if the defender would stay.
"We are planning next year. [Carles] Rexach and [Ariedo] Braida are other directors. They are working," he told RNE Radio.
"I don’t know if he will stay, but we cannot sign players until January 1, 2016."
A player Bartomeu is more eager to keep at Barca is superstar Lionel Messi, who he hopes will finish his career at Camp Nou.
"He is happy in Barcelona, in fact he is a Catalan," he said.
"Messi has been with us for years and we hope that he hangs his boots up here."
Messi and Luis Enrique staying with Barca - Bartomeu
24 February 2015
Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu looks to end speculation by confirming Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique will both stay at Camp Nou.
Lionel Messi and Luis Enrique will remain at Barcelona next season, president Josep Maria Bartomeu has confirmed.
Reports had suggested Messi was becoming disillusioned with life at Camp Nou this season, having fallen out with coach Luis Enrique already this term.
However, with their disagreement seemingly in the past, Messi has sparkled since the turn of the year, contributing 14 goals and 10 assists from 12 games.
"Leo is happy at Barcelona and we're happy with him," he told Spanish radio station RNE.
"He is a Catalan.
"Luis Enrique is under contract for another year and will coach the club next season."
Barca's attentions turn back to the UEFA Champions League this week when they face Manchester City in the last 16.
Both Luis Enrique and Luis Suarez defended Lionel Messi after the Barcelona striker missed a penalty against Manchester City.
Barcelona coach Luis Enrique and striker Luis Suarez brushed off Lionel Messi's penalty miss on Tuesday, claiming the Catalan club are in prime position to reach the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.
Messi's stoppage-time spot-kick was saved by Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart at Etihad Stadium, although Barcelona still triumphed 2-1 in the round of 16 first leg to take a significant step towards the Champions League's last eight.
Although the penalty would have given Barcelona a two-goal cushion ahead of the second leg on March 18, Suarez was not convinced it would have "killed off" the tie, while Luis Enrique claimed victory was the most important thing.
"This was a very good display from our team, we were much better than our opponents," Barca's coach said.
"We played a very complete game and we should be very satisfied with that. The aim was always to win the game, we did not care too much about the precise result.
"We have to bear in mind the quality of our opponents and how difficult this tie is."
Luis Enrique added: "Players who take penalties will always miss some but we have full confidence in [Lionel] Messi."
Suarez had given the visitors a 2-0 lead at half-time with a pair of fine finishes in Manchester - his first brace for Barcelona - while Sergio Aguero struck back for City in the 69th minute.
The Uruguayan striker took his tally to four goals in Barcelona's past five matches and he backed the La Liga outfit to hold off City at the Camp Nou.
"We played really well in the first half," Suarez said.
"They're a great side with a lot of quality in midfield and up front. It's still open going into the second leg but we're Barca."
Messi won a penalty with full-time approaching but, after taking responsibility from the spot, his effort was saved by Hart and the Barca legend's follow-up diving header went wide of the post.
Suarez said: "I don't know if it [Messi's penalty] would have killed off the tie. These things happen."
Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde hopes his team can build some momentum against Torino in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday.
Athletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde claimed on Wednesday that the next week could define his team's season, as they face crucial games in three separate competitions.
Bilbao will host Torino in the second leg of their UEFA Europa League last-32 tie on Thursday before taking on Eibar in La Liga on Sunday and Espanyol in a Copa del Rey semi-final second leg next Wednesday.
Eibar lie 11th in La Liga, one position ahead of Bilbao on goal difference, with both clubs joined by 10th-placed Real Sociedad on 27 points.
If Valverde's men defeat Eibar, who have lost five consecutive games, they could rise as high as ninth depending on other league results and be within three positions of Europa League qualification for next season.
But Valverde will not prioritise La Liga over Bilbao's two shots at cup glory this term, while he insists playing three critical matches in the space of a week may help his side rather than hinder them.
"It is one of the most crucial moments of the year. We will look to progress to the last 16 with victory against Torino and on Sunday we play against a team level with us in the league before facing the cup semi-final," the 51-year-old coach said.
"Although the matches are all close, when you win the momentum carries you and you don't feel fatigued. The aim is to go into these seven days looking to do equally well in all three competitions."
Bilbao drew 2-2 at Torino in the round of 32 first leg last week.
Inaki Williams gave the Spanish visitors a ninth-minute advantage before a brace from Maxi Lopez saw Torino lead 2-1 at half-time.
Bilbao needed a 73rd-minute equaliser from Carlos Gurpegi to leave Italy with a draw, and Valverde hopes the home crowd at San Mames will inspire his players to overall victory.
"Hopefully the crowd will motivate us a lot," he said.
"We have the advantage of San Mames, it should be full."
Carlo Ancelotti does not see Real Madrid exercising their right to re-sign Alvaro Morata from Juventus.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has backed Alvaro Morata to stay at Juventus for the forseeable future.
Striker Morata swapped Madrid for Turin for a reported €20million during the close-season, although Real retained the option to buy him back in future.
Morata has scored six goals in 19 league appearances since arriving at Juve, and was on target against Borussia Dortmund this week in the UEFA Champions League, but Ancelotti does not foresee a situation where Real would exercise their right to return him to the Santiago Bernabeu.
"Alvaro needed to play," he told Gazzetta dello Sport. "He is a young guy and he was looking to go somewhere he could find opportunities and consistency.
"He had a lot of offers, but he was the one who chose Juventus.
"Last year with me, even though he did not play much, he did well.
"He is a modern striker - he can run, has pace and intensity, is cool in front of goal and is a hard worker.
"But we have no regrets. His departure was a well-considered decision.
"In Morata's contract there is a right of redemption for Real, but I think he will stay at Juve."
Gerardo Martino has lifted the lid on his time in charge at Barcelona, revealing he "could not be happy" in the role.
Former Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino has revealed he "could not be happy" during his time in charge at Camp Nou.
Martino led the Catalan giants from July 2013 to May 2014, failing to win any silverware other than the Supercopa de Espana.
And the Argentine says he struggled to cope with the magnitude of the job, which is now held by Luis Enrique.
"These are the feelings one has after 10 months of work and analysing everything," he told AS. "I felt I couldn't improve this fantastic team and I could not happy at reaching one of the best clubs in the world.
"[The current Barca] is a much improved version. They don't create as much as a team but they have a very high level of attackers who can decide a game.
"The team evolves over time and players need replacing."
Martino went on to take the reins with the Argentina national team and is happy with how Lionel Messi and Javier Mascherano are now being utilised by Barcelona, particularly after the former endured a difficult 2014.
"There are two beneficial things happening with Messi and Mascherano," he added. "Leo starts on the right side and Mascherano is being played in midfield. And that's good.
"Before Masche only played at centre-back and came to the national team to play in midfield.
"Messi's been fine in 2015. To determine what happened [in a reported disagreement between Messi and Luis Enrique] without being in the dressing room is difficult.
"He's getting the ball, competing, creating goals, and involved to the benefit of everyone."
Granada v Barcelona: Catalan giants aiming to put pressure back on Real
26 February 2015
After a damaging defeat to Malaga last weekend, Barcelona hope to apply the pressure back on their title rivals when they head to Granada.
Barcelona visit second-from-bottom Granada in La Liga on Saturday, hoping for a victory in order to put pressure back on leaders Real Madrid.
Luis Enrique's side fell to a shock 1-0 home loss at the hands of Malaga last Saturday, allowing Real to move four points clear with their comfortable 2-0 success at Elche a day later.
Once again, Barca are scheduled to play earlier than their title rivals, with Real - and third placed Atletico Madrid - facing Villarreal and Sevilla respectively on Sunday.
Following their Liga disappointment against Malaga, Barca were back to nearer their fluent best in midweek with a 2-1 victory at Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League last-16 first leg.
Luis Suarez scored both goals for the Catalan giants - taking his season tally to nine - and the Uruguayan appears to be finally hitting his straps after a frustrating start to life in Catalonia.
"At one stage, a month ago, I was worried for myself," he told Sport890. "I am very self-critical when I don’t help the team and I was missing goals that a player can’t miss.
"I was aware of the team I joined and the money that was paid for me, and the quality of players I have around me.
"I'm fulfilling a role that I know helps the team a lot, occupying defences and letting Leo [Messi] and Neymar get in one-on-ones, where they're unstoppable."
In the corresponding fixture last season, Barca suffered a 1-0 defeat, a reverse which severely damaged their title hopes.
They will hope to avoid a repeat this time round, and can take confidence from their meeting with Granada earlier this season, which saw Neymar claim a hat-trick and Messi hit a brace in a 6-0 thrashing.
Defeat to Malaga ended a run of 11 straight wins in all competitions, while Granada have won just two of their last 24 outings.
Goals in the 88th and 93rd minutes saw them go down 2-1 at Levante last time out, and there was further damage inflicted by the dismissals of Youssef El-Arabi and Adrian Colunga, meaning both men are suspended for this game.
Despite those absences and the disparity in the two clubs' league positions, striker Jhon Cordoba is not giving up hope.
"It's 11 versus 11 and nothing is impossible," said the former Espanyol man. "We'll have our chances of getting something out of the game. We feel conscious that we can win.
"We have to keep working together, all of us united, because there's still important things we need to do, between now and the end of the season."
Real Madrid v Villarreal: Ancelotti´s side looking to keep chasing pack at bay
27 February 2015
Real Madrid hope to extend their strong recent record against Villarreal when the two meet in La Liga on Sunday.
La Liga leaders Real Madrid will hope their strong record against Villarreal continues on Sunday when the two sides clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Real have enjoyed much the better of this fixture in recent years, recording seven wins and two draws in the last nine meetings.
Carlo Ancelotti's side hold a four point lead at the top of the table, although that could be cut to just one by the time they kick off against Villarreal, with second-placed Barcelona visiting Granada 24 hours earlier.
Since a 4-0 thrashing at fierce rivals Atletico Madrid three weeks ago, Real have responded well with league wins over Deportivo La Coruna and Elche sandwiching victory at Schalke in the UEFA Champions League.
All three games were won 2-0, as was the reverse fixture with Villarreal back in September, courtesy of goals from Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Modric (thigh) remains an injury concern, as do Sami Khedira (thigh), Fabio Coentrao (calf), and James Rodriguez (fractured metatarsal).
Sergio Ramos (hamstring) is also a doubt, but the defender has been singing his coach's praises this week.
"Ancelotti was a player himself, he knows all about players who come in from outside the club and he understands the problems they might have," Ramos told FIFA's official website.
"He notices how a player settles in, whether he makes an effort to open up to his team-mates or not. He's a coach who takes you aside, talks to you and makes everything as smooth as possible, both on a professional and personal level.
"That's the key to success, which is why he's a truly great coach."
Real have a superb home league record, having won nine on the spin at the Bernabeu, scoring 32 goals in the process.
They also have the benefit of a full week's rest since their win at Elche, whereas Villarreal were in action on Thursday against Salzburg in the Europa League.
Marcelino's men returned from Austria with a 3-1 success, which booked their passage to the last 16 of the competition following a 2-1 victory in the home leg, and they will now face Liga rivals Sevilla in the next round.
Luciano Vietto scored twice on Thursday, taking his tally for the season to 18 in all competitions, and Real will have to be wary of the Argentinian if they are not to concede ground on their title rivals.
Villarreal have not won away from home in the league in their last four matches, but their previous victory before that run came at champions Atletico - so Marcelino's side have experience of upsetting the odds on the road.
Atletico Madrid v Sevilla: Champions attempt to bounce back
27 February 2015
Sevilla have not beaten Atletico Madrid in the last 10 games between the two sides, but will attempt to put that right on Sunday.
Atletico Madrid will have UEFA Champions League redemption in mind as well as maintaining their impressive record against Sevilla in La Liga on Sunday.
The Liga champions will have to come from behind if they are to stay on course to reach a second successive Champions League final after they were beaten 1-0 at Bayer Leverkusen on Wednesday.
Diego Simeone's men will still be fancied to progress to the quarter-finals, but for the time being they will turn their attention back to their bid to retain the Liga title.
Atleti coasted to a 3-0 home win over Almeria last weekend following a 2-0 lost at Celta Vigo and they can ill afford to drop points this weekend, with city rivals Real Madrid 10 points better off than the champions.
Sevilla were hammered 4-0 by Atleti back in September, with Koke, Saul Niguez, Raul Garcia and Raul Jimenez on target.
Saul is set to miss out this weekend after he suffered breathing difficulties following a challenge from Leverkusen's Kyriakos Papadopoulos and stayed in Germany for treatment.
Koke has been sidelined by a hamstring problem since the derby hammering of Real earlier this month, but the midfielder could return this weekend.
While Atleti will be out to respond to a European defeat, holders Sevilla sealed their place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 by beating Borussia Monchengladbach 4-2 on aggregate.
Unai Emery's men will face La Liga rivals Villarreal in their next European tie, but beating Atleti at Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium is their immediate objective.
The Andalusian club have not beaten Atleti in the last 10 meetings between the two sides, a run stretching back to October 2010, but a victory on Saturday will leave them five points behind their opponents.
While Sevilla marching on in Europe, three defeats in their last four Liga games has seen them fall five points behind fourth-placed Valencia.
A 4-3 defeat at Real Sociedad last weekend was their latest setback and if recent performances are anything to go by, winning the Europa League will be their best bet for securing a Champions League spot.
Luis Enrique laments English ´campaign´ over Suarez
27 February 2015
Luis Enrique has leapt to the defence of Luis Suarez after attempts to whip up another biting frenzy around the Uruguay striker.
Barcelona coach has accused English media of launching a campaign over Luis Suarez after claims he bit another opponent in midweek.
Suarez returned to English shores for the first time since leaving Liverpool in July, scoring twice in a 2-1 win at Manchester City.
Despite his goalscoring exploits, many media outlets in the UK instead focused on images which they claimed appeared to show Suarez biting the hand of Martin Demichelis.
"Unfortunately it's something normal in some parts of the world to have these sort of campaigns against somebody," Luis Enrique said.
"Luis Suarez already knows he will always be watched, even he has said many times that he made a mistake.
"We have seen this kind of campaigns against players, president, supporters."
Dani Alves is a player whose Barca future looks far less secure.
The Brazilian full-back is out of contract at Camp Nou in June, and is yet to be offered extended terms, though Luis Enrique will not drop him from the team, despite the uncertainty.
"You can see from the teams I pick my faith in him," the coach explained.
"These are decisions to be taken at the end of the season, and the club has to take them."
