Real and Barca face away tests

Today’s fixtures Villarreal vs Athletic Bilbao Rayo Vallecano vs   Real Madrid Valencia             vs   Sevilla Osasuna             vs   Granada Real Sociedad   vs   Mallorca Atletico Madrid vs  Barcelona

Sunday, February 26, 2012

Today’s fixturesVillarreal vs Athletic BilbaoRayo Vallecano vs   Real MadridValencia             vs   SevillaOsasuna             vs   GranadaReal Sociedad   vs   MallorcaAtletico Madrid vs  BarcelonaALL eyes will be on the Spanish capital tonight when the race for the title continues with Real making the short journey to neighbours Rayo Vallecano while Barcelona visit Atletico.Barcelona captain Xavi Hernandez believes the gap is not a fair reflection of the league so far."If we compare the play of Madrid and ours the gap is too big, but we have not had the best of luck. Football is like that, sometimes it’s the smallest details that matter and we have not been able to control those as much this season,” he said."We won the World Club Championship and without realising it probably lost a bit of rhythm due to that, but we are keen to win back those 10 points.Real Madrid will be without Angel Di Maria and Karim Benzema so Gonzalo Higuain, who has recently been linked with a summer move to Manchester City, is likely to start.Rayo have won their last three games and sit in eighth position, only two points behind a potential Champions League place next season. Equally difficult is the task facing Barcelona.Atletico Madrid are still unbeaten in the league since the arrival of new manager Diego Simeone at the turn of the year, and a full house of 54 000 is expected to attend a duel that always promises goals and spectacular football.Third-placed Valencia host Sevilla in the pick of the other games.