Barca close in on La Liga hat-trick

MADRID - Barcelona could celebrate their passage to the Champions League final with a third consecutive La Liga crown on Sunday when derby rivals Espanyol visit the Nou Camp.

Pep Guardiola's side will take to the pitch knowing the outcome of second-placed Real Madrid's trip to play Sevilla tomorrow, when anything less than a victory would put the title within Barca's grasp.

The leaders are eight points clear at the top with four matches left to play and they hold the head-to-head advantage over Real, which is used to decide placings if the clubs finished level on points.

Barca completed a 3-1 aggregate win over their arch-rivals Real in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday to set up a final meeting with Manchester United in London on May 28.

"It would be good to win the league now because it would give us plenty of preparation time for Wembley," Barca and Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta told the club's television channel.

Jose Mourinho's Real side head off to the Sanchez Pizjuan without suspended defender Ricardo Carvalho and winger Angel Di Maria looking to end their worst run of the season, two defeats and a draw.

Valencia and Villarreal, third and fourth respectively, have secured Spain's last two Champions League qualification places barring major slip-ups, though Europa League semi-finalists Villarreal could yet steal the last automatic slot. Valencia host Real Sociedad, Atletico entertain improving Malaga and Getafe face Almeria in other matches tomorrow.

The relegation battle still has many twists and turns left in it and sees some key clashes this weekend.

Bottom club Almeria only avoided the drop last week due to their superior head-to-head record over Deportivo Coruna, who are 12 points ahead of them in 17th position. But the next six clubs - Getafe, Deportivo, Osasuna, Real Zaragoza, Malaga and 13th-placed Racing Santander - are separated by only three points.

Hercules are at home to Racing tomorrow and 16th-placed Osasuna visit 15th-placed Zaragoza in the last game of the weekend on Sunday.