Barcelona: Barcelona's focus returns to the domestic title race at Sevilla on Sunday, while Real Madrid will look to keep the pressure on the Spanish league leaders with a victory at home against Hercules.
Barcelona, buoyed by its 3-1 Champions League win over Arsenal, has won four straight league games ahead of a difficult away match at Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, where the hosts will be looking for their first victory over the Catalans in four seasons.
Defender Gerard Pique will return to the lineup after being suspended for the victory over the Gunners, while fellow center back Carles Puyol is still sidelined by a knee injury.
Barcelona is unbeaten in 25 league games, one shy of matching the club record set in 1973-74. The Catalans already set a league record of 16 straight wins this season.
Madrid trails the two-time defending champions by seven points but is coming off perhaps its best performance of the season at Racing Santander, where Cristiano Ronaldo's absence was hardly missed in a 3-1 victory.
Madrid is without Kaka after the Brazil playmaker aggravated an injury to the same left leg was operated on after last year's World Cup. But Mesut Oezil has shown no problems running Madrid's offense in Kaka's absence, with the Germany midfielder a consistent bright spot this season, especially against Santander.
"We're hopeful (Barcelona) lose a game," Oezil said through a translator. "There is still much season to go. Anything can happen."
Madrid, which has won all 21 of its games at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium this season, is unlikely to rush defensive midfielder Sami Khedira back with a Champions League match against Lyon next week. Ronaldo is also unlikely to suit up for Saturday's game as he recovers from a muscle strain.
Valencia looks to recover against Zaragoza on Saturday after a disappointing exit from the Champions League on Wednesday.
The third-place club, which leads Villarreal by four points in the last automatic qualifying spot for next season's Champions League, failed to convert a number of chances against Schalke and must now regroup against a team intent on avoiding relegation.
"We've got to lift ourselves up and fight to finish third in the league," Valencia forward Juanma Mata said. "That's all we have left."
Also, it's: Almeria vs. Atletico Madrid; Villarreal vs. Sporting Gijon; Osasuna vs. Racing Santander; Real Sociedad vs. Malaga; Espanyol vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Levante vs. Mallorca; and Getafe vs. Athletic Bilbao.
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