La Liga - Midfielder Mahamadou Diarra will not feature in Real Madrid's final Liga match at home to Mallorca because of international commitments, although three points would guarantee the title for the capital club for the first time in four seasons.

Diarra will instead play for Mali in an African Cup of Nations qualifying match against Sierra Leone.

"I'm going to play for Mali," he told Radio Marca. "We are practically champions because our next game is at home.

"The international side have got a very important game. For us the three points are very important and it is my duty to play for my country."

Diarra's case is not unique. Thanks to the late end to the Spanish domestic season, there could be as many as 27 players missing from matches around the country as they jet off to participate in matches in Africa as well as qualifiers for the Copa America and the finals of the European Under-21 championships.

Madrid are level on points with Barcelona at the top of the table, ahead on the head-to-head rule thanks to Ruud van Nistelrooy's late equaliser in Zaragoza on Saturday and Raul Tamudo's almost simultaneous leveller for Espanyol in the Barcelona derby.

Diarra was instrumental in Los Merengues' fighting performance in La Romareda - although the club already seem to be allowing complacency to overshadow their preparations for next weekend's deciding matches.

While Madrid host the islanders, Barcelona travel to Catalan compatriots and already-relegated Nastic.

Jonathan Symcox