With Real Madrid firmly in control at the top of the Liga, their title rivals can seek a lift from the gloom with qualification for the Copa del Rey semi-finals this week.

Barcelona host Villarreal, second and third in the league, on Thursday with the tie awaiting a first goal after last week's first leg.

Both clubs lost further ground on Real at the weekend with Barca letting slip a one-goal lead to draw 1-1 away at Athletic Bilbao while Villarreal fell 3-2 away to Real, who are already out of the competition.

"We were very tired after the game against Barca, they were clearly fresher," Villarreal coach Manuel Pellegrini said after the defeat.

"We need to get ourselves together again and continue with our good level of play to make the semis."

Villarreal have plenty to be positive about despite losing at the Bernabeu, becoming the first side to score against Real in seven league games.

Their open attacking style will be of concern to an out-of-sorts Barcelona who have only scored twice in their last four games in all competitions.

Atletico Madrid's season is threatening to fall apart after three consecutive defeats without scoring a goal in the space of eight days.

They trail Valencia 1-0 in their quarter-final and have home advantage for the second leg on Wednesday. Valencia come into the game on the back of a nine-match winless run in the league.

They left the Mestalla on Sunday with angry fans calling for the head of coach Ronald Koeman after they lost 1-0 to promoted Almeria.

"I am not going to run away after only two months. It isn't my way to quit. The club is in crisis and we can only improve the situation by winning," Koeman said.

Last year's runners-up Getafe hold a 1-0 advantage over Real Mallorca for their trip to the Balearics on Wednesday.

Racing Santander are closing on their first appearance in the final four, holding a 2-0 lead for the trip to face 23-times winners Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.

Eurosport