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League leaders Barcelona look for a third league win in a week as they host strugglers Real Zaragoza at Camp Nou today. Barceona needed a late goal from top-scorer Lionel Messi, who has 27 league goals, to seal a vital 1-0 win at Valencia on Wednesday and the champions are keen to maintain their seven-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid. Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez said ‘The Valencia win was a very important result. Points like these are what could win us the title.’ ‘There are still some difficult games to play. There’s a lot at stake. But we’re optimistic. We are pleased with the team dynamic, the way we’re playing and the attitude.’ Xavi returned from a calf injury against Valencia but Barcelona are still without goalkeeper Victor Valdes and captain Carles Puyol who are both doubtful for next Tuesday’s Champions League second leg at home to Arsenal. After difficult away matches at Real Mallorca and Valencia, Barcelona will be glad to be back at home although Zaragoza, two points above the relegation zone, are on a high after a 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday. Real Madrid closed back to within seven points of Barcelona with an emphatic 7-0 home win over Malaga on Thursday to maintain their 100 per cent home record. Cristiano Ronaldo scored a hat-trick in Madrid’s biggest win of the season and coach Jose Mourinho will hope his side can now improve on their erratic away form – they have dropped 14 points on the road – in Sunday’s trip to Racing Santander. Racing are unbeaten in their last five league outings under new coach Marcelino and they have only lost twice at home this season. Elsewhere, Valencia are at Real Mallorca as they battle to hold onto third and the final automatic Champions League place.

The 1-0 defeat to Barcelona was their first in the league in 2011 and Villarreal are now just a point behind in fourth.‘We are hurting after the Barcelona defeat but we competed with the best team in the world,’ said Valencia coach Emery. Villarreal closed to within one point of  Valencia and hope to stay on their heels with a win at Atletico Madrid on Saturday. Villarreal have been poor on their travels with just four away wins and Atletico Madrid will be full of motivation having moved to within three points of the top six. ‘It is a special game because there is a really good atmosphere at the (Vincente) Calderon,’ said Villarreal midfielder Borja Valero. European rivals Athletic Bilbao and Sevilla lock horns at San Mames on Sunday as the race for the European places hots up. Bilbao have lost their last four matches but are clinging to sixth place with Sevilla level on 38 points.‘When you can’t win you have to at least get a point,’ said Bilbao midfielder Carlos Gurpegui. ‘When you lose everything looks bad. Sunday is a huge game for us against a direct rival. We are in a good position in the league but we have to try and win against Sevilla.’Down at the bottom relegation rivals Hercules and Almeria face off on Saturday in a crucial six-pointer.‘Not scoring goals is certainly complicating things for us at the moment,’ said Hercules coach Esteban Vigo. Hercules have failed to score in their last three outings and are one point above the relegation zone, while Almeria prop up the 20-strong table.

Sevilla boosted their European hopes with a comfortable 3-0 home victory over 10-man Sporting Gijon on Tuesday to move level on points with sixth-placed Athletic Bilbao.Brazilian international forward Luis Fabiano opened the scoring from the penalty spot for his ninth league goal of the season with Diego Perotti and Alvaro Negredo also on target in a convincing home win.It was Sevilla's fourth game in nine hectic days but the hosts were aided by the first half sending off of Gijon midfielder Sebastian Eguren.Eguren fouled Fabiano to concede a penalty on 28 minutes and Sporting had to stomach a double punishment as the Uruguayan was given a red card.Fabiano made no mistake thumping a low penalty into the bottom left hand corner.

Minutes later Federico Fazio hit the crossbar with a downward header before Argentine Perotti made it 2-0 with a fine first time volley.Negredo scored a third in the second half as Sevilla climbed to seventh while Sporting hover one point above the relegation zone.Earlier on Tuesday Real Mallorca recorded their first away win at Espanyol in over a decade with a 2-1 comeback win at the Cornella-El Prat thanks to second half goals from Pierre Webo and Emilio Nsue.Fifth-placed Espanyol had taken an 18th minute lead through Alvaro Vazquez but Cameroon forward Webo headed an equaliser on 62 minutes and Nsue netted the winner eight minutes from time as the islanders won at Espanyol for the first time since 2000."After the break our goalkeeper practically didn't touch the ball and I think it was a deserved win," said Mallorca coach Michael Laudrup.

It was a major setback for Espanyol's European hopes and Athletic Bilbao, two points behind in sixth, can move above them with a win at Real Zaragoza on Wednesday.For Mallorca it was only their third away win of the season as they move four points off the top six.With just seven minutes gone Mallorca won a penalty with centre-back Jordi Amat clipping Webo in the box.Chori Castro stepped up but goalkeeper Carlos Kameni guessed the right way and got down low to palm away the spot-kick.A minute later Espanyol went down the other end and Jose Callejon crashed a shot against the post.The hosts got the breakthrough on 18 minutes with Mallorca getting their offside trap horribly wrong as Vazquez bent his run before keeping a cool head to slot home. Mallorca thought they had equalised on the half hour mark but Webo's header was harshly ruled out for offside.

Livewire Webo got the goal his performance deserved with a header to level the scores just after the hour mark.Winger Nsue then popped up with a late 82nd minute winner as Mallorca took the spoils.Malaga, second from bottom of the table, are coached by former Real boss Manuel Pellegrini who managed the club last season but a club record 96 points saw them finish runners-up to Barcelona and the Chilean was axed.