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Bristling atmospheres await leaders Barcelona and chasing Real Madrid when they visit Valencia and Sevilla respectively this weekend, as the stakes grow higher in the Liga title race.

With six games left to play, and the Clasico between Barca and Real at the Bernabeu due next weekend, the champions have been hoping for a slip-up from their treble chasing rivals to cut the six-point gap that separates the sides.

The Madrid-based media have recalled their victorious 2006-7 league campaign when Fabio Capello's Real Madrid gave chase and overhauled Frank Rijkaard's Barcelona as the Catalans buckled under the pressure.

But Pep Guardiola's outfit show little sign of going down the same route, despite a packed calendar of high-profile matches.

The leaders shrugged off third-placed Sevilla in a stylish 4-0 rout on Wednesday, quickly damping down the hysteria generated the day before when Real's stirring comeback against Getafe to win 3-2 temporarily cut their lead down to three.

Barca's victory was achieved with Lionel Messi and Carles Puyol on the bench, and the rotations are likely to continue in Valencia on Saturday with a Champions League semi-final first leg against Chelsea next up on Tuesday.

Valencia are on a five-match winning streak led by an in-form David Villa, and they have moved to within two points of faltering Sevilla.

"This is a different game to the rest, because no one has the quality and the determination Barca have," Valencia midfielder Ruben Baraja said.

Real Madrid travel to Sevilla on Sunday looking to build on their remarkable run of 16 wins in 17 matches.

The Andalucians have lost three on the trot, but the return of former coach Juande Ramos at the helm of Real, adds extra spice to the encounter.

Ramos, who won five trophies in two years with Sevilla, is still not forgiven in some quarters for leaving them for Tottenham Hotspur in 2007.

The Sanchez Pizjuan has not been a happy hunting ground for Real and they have not won there since 2003.

"Sevilla will come out with knives in their pockets," Real defender Christoph Metzelder told Radio Marca.

Ramos will be forced into changes with defender Pepe and top scorer Gonzalo Higuain suspended, while Wesley Sneijder, Arjen Robben and Gabriel Heinze are injured.

In the battle for the Europa League places surprise-package Malaga, who are sixth, host Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday with one point separating the sides.

Atletico Madrid's humbling 5-1 defeat away to Racing Santander saw them drop down to seventh and a return to the Champions League appears a long way off as struggling Sporting Gijon visit on Sunday.

Sporting are one point above the relegation places in 17th after five successive defeats, and are in danger of being overtaken by a resurgent Espanyol, who host Real Betis on Sunday.

Reuters