Barca have crown within their grasp

MADRID. Real Madrid have stubbornly refused to capitulate in recent weeks but La Liga leaders Barcelona finally have their fate in their own hands and can secure a 22nd La Liga crown with victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Barca need two points from their remaining four matches to wrest the title back from their arch rivals, who have played a game more and need to win at Espanyol on Saturday to keep the title race alive.

Friday, May 10, 2013

TodayAthletic     vs     Mallorca    16:00Valladolid     vs     Deportivo    18:00Osasuna     vs     Getafe    20:00    Espanyol     vs     Real Madrid    22:00SundayRayo     vs     Valencia    12:00Betis     vs     Celta Vigo    17:00Atletico     vs     Barcelona    19:00Malaga     vs     Sevilla    21:00Monday    R Sociedad     vs     Granada    22:00 MADRID. Real Madrid have stubbornly refused to capitulate in recent weeks but La Liga leaders Barcelona finally have their fate in their own hands and can secure a 22nd La Liga crown with victory at Atletico Madrid on Sunday. Barca need two points from their remaining four matches to wrest the title back from their arch rivals, who have played a game more and need to win at Espanyol on Saturday to keep the title race alive.It would be the Catalan club’s fourth domestic league title in five years, an achievement that comes close to matching the "Dream Team’s” four consecutive triumphs in the 1990s, and their first under new coach Tito Vilanova, who took over from Pep Guardiola at the end of last season. Atletico have already made sure of third place and a berth in the Champions League group stage. They will also be looking ahead to their King’s Cup final clash against Real in just over a week’s time but coach Diego Simeone said he and his players would not be distracted by the chance to ensure their city neighbours end the season without major silverware."We cannot allow ourselves to be lose sight of the next game because we’ve never approached things differently, we need to focus on Barcelona,” Simeone told a news conference On Wednesday. Real’s 6-2 win at home to Malaga on Wednesday trimmed the gap to Barca to eight points and although a win at Espanyol would cut the deficit to five, a Barca victory at the Calderon would give them an unassailable lead as Real will only have two games left and six points available.