Whilst the top four are all in action on Saturday, Sunday and Monday see some big games at the bottom and in the chase for URFA spots. In the relegation battle the increasingly doomed looking Hercules are away at Real Sociedad, Malaga are at in-form Levant, Deportivo could slip into the bottom three if they lose against Mallorca at Riazor, Zaragoza face a tough trip to Seville and Almeria are at home to Bilbao on Monday. Meanwhile, fifth place Espanyol entertain Racing and Atletico Madrid will be just a point above Osasuna if the Basques can beat them in Pamplona on Sunday night.

Injuries hit Madrid

Real Madrid face a tough week with their Champions League quarter final against Spurs and a tricky league trip to Bilbao next week, but they kick off with what looks to be an easier game against struggling Sporting, who have managed just one win on the road all season. Mourinho will be without the injured Cristiano Ronaldo ,Benzema and Marcello on Saturday and possibly in midweek, whilst Kaka is still out and Xabi Alonso is suspended, but Madrid will welcome back Higuain, who has been out for four months. Valencia are tied on points with Villarreal and will look to take advantage of a Barça win, but they are without keeper Guaita, Joaquim, Albelda and David Navarro who are all injured. For their part, Getafe need a win after a dismal run of form has seen them win just one game in their last 13 and slip to 13th, just five points clear of the drop.

Espanyol limp on

Fifth placed Espanyol are a distant 11 points adrift of Valencia and with Bilbao and Seville just a point behind them, they need a win at home to Racing on Sunday, but once again injuries are undermining Pochettino’s efforts, with Baena and Amat the latest to visit the treatment room. Bilbao are away to second from bottom Almeria on Monday night and if the points are vital for the strugglers, Basque midfielder Carlos Gurpegui reckons: “they are even more important for us –they are playing to stay in the division, but we are after a European spot”. Seville, behind Bilbao only on goal difference, are also up against a team fighting the drop, Zaragoza –who have lost their last two away games at Barcelona and Mallorca and have to visit Villarreal and Real Madrid in their next two matches on the road after their visit to Andalucia and are just a point off the bottom three.

Tough trip for Atletico

Atletico Madrid are three points behind Seville and face a tough trip to Pamplona without their star striker Kun Aguero. Such has been Osasuna’s recovery since they switched coaches earlier this year, that a win would take them to just a point behind Atletico. The other in-form team in the bottom half, Llevant, who are level on points with Osasuna and their Basque neighbours Real Sociedad, play at home to Malaga. Malaga have won their last two games and if they can win on Sunday, they could lift themselves to temporary safety. Whilst Real’s opponents Hercules will hope new boss Miroslav Djukic can halt the slide that has seen them lose 10 out of their last 13 games to send them to the foot of the table, though he will start his job without striker David Trezeguet who has a knee injury. Finally, Mallorca could slip into the bottom half if they lose at Riazor, where Deportivo, who are in 16th and just two points ahead of Malaga, have lost just once in their last five home games.