The 'Clasico' between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Camp Nou Stadium stands out above all of the others in Spain's La Liga Santander, as the Spanish football season goes into its final three matches.
It does, however, promise to be a slightly decaffeinated Clasico between the two traditional rivals, given that Barcelona were crowned League Champions following last weekend's 4-2 win away to Deportivo la Coruna, which confirms a League and Cup double, according to Xinhua news agency.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, travel to Barcelona following their slightly fortunate qualification for a third consecutive Champions League final following a 2-2 draw at home to Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.
Barca's League and Cup double and the chance Real Madrid have of lifting a third consecutive Champions League has started a debate in Spain as to which club has had the best season: in many ways it is sterile debate given that Barca have a 15 point lead over Real Madrid in the table and have dominated domestically, but a Madrid win on Sunday afternoon would see them claim they are the best side in Spain while ending Barca's dreams of going unbeaten for an entire league campaign.
In the first meeting between the two sides, Barca produced a masterclass to win 3-0 in the Santiago Bernabeu to virtually knock Madrid out of the title race and have had longer to prepare for the match than their rivals.
Barca also have no injury worries, while Real Madrid are without Dani Carvajal and have a doubt over Isco, who missed out on Tuesday with a shoulder injury. Nacho Fernandez should be able to cover at right back after a brief return to action against Bayern.
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Last weekend's win in La Coruna not only secured Barca the title, it also confirmed Deportivo la Coruna will join Malaga and Las Palmas in being relegated to the second division for next season.
Deportivo will try to regain some pride in the Galicia derby against local rivals Celta Vigo, who have an outside chance of qualifying for Europe, while Malaga entertain Alaves and Las Palmas are at home to Getafe.
Getafe are currently seventh in the table and have a good chance of claiming the final Europa League spot, but travel to Las Palmas with 5 players suspended: Suarez, Fajr, Molinero, Mora and Bruno, while injuries to Arambarri, Bergara and Flamini will add to coach Pepe Bordalas' selection headache.
Sevilla sacked Vicenzo Montella last Saturday and replaced him with Joaquin Caparros, who returns to the club after 13 years away. Sevilla have dropped to eighth in the table and take on Real Sociedad, who are now 10th, but just 3 points behind a place in Europe themselves in another game which could decide who plays in Europe next season.
Sixth place Villarreal have a five-point cushion over Getafe, and a win over Valencia would probably confirm a return to the Europa League, but they have a tough derby at home to Valencia, who need a win to assure fourth place and a return to the Champions League.
Valencia could have already have assured that fourth spot, however, if Betis, who assured their return to Europe on Monday night, fail to win away to Athletic Club Bilbao.
Athletic have struggled for form at home all season and will be without full backs Oscar de Marcos and Mikel Balenziaga and the suspended Raul Garcia.
Finally, eighth-placed Girona, who have just one win in seven games, entertain Eibar, who on Thursday confirmed that Jose Luis Mendilibar will remain as coach for next season.
--IANS
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