MADRID, Feb. 15 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona will face a major test in matchday 24 of the Spanish La Liga Santander as they prepare for their return to European football next week.
Ernesto Valverde's side have seen successive draws cut their advantage over Atletico Madrid at the top of the table from 11 points down to seven, and on Saturday they must visit one of the most in-form sides in Europe, Eibar.
The Basques have climbed to seventh in the classification and at the moment would qualify for a place in Europe next season following a run of just one defeat in their last 12 games and wins against Leganes and Sevilla.
The good news for Valverde is that for the first time in 2018 his players have not had a midweek game and have been able to enjoy the rare luxury of a full week to prepare for the game and for tired legs to recover.
Eibar's tight Ipurua Stadium presents different challenges for visiting teams and Eibar have a well-worked game plan which makes them very hard to beat, although Barca did put six goals past them in the Camp Nou earlier this season.
Sevilla are first into action on Saturday as they visit Las Palmas who appear to be recovering since the arrival of Paco Jemez as coach. Las Palmas have taken four points from two games and a win could lift them out of the relegation zone.
Saturday also sees a key game close to the bottom half of the table as fifth from bottom Alaves entertain Deportivo la Coruna.
Deportivo suffered a disappointing home defeat to Betis in Clarence Seedorf' s debut as first team coach on Monday, while Alaves are on an upward curve under Abelardo Fernandez with 19 points from their last games. A win for the Basque side could lift them 10 points above the relegation zone.
The last game on Saturday sees Malaga at home to third place Valencia. Malaga look increasingly doomed to relegation, while Valencia need a win to ensure they remain third.
Sunday kicks off with Real Sociedad entertaining Levante in a match which both need to win to avoid being drawn into the struggle against relegation.
Atletico Madrid then entertain Athletic Club Bilbao and will expect to win against a rival struggling for form and whose coach Jose Angel Ziganda is under pressure after recent poor performances.
Villarreal need to recover following consecutive defeats when they visit Espanyol, and the weekend ends with Real Madrid's visit to Betis.
Madrid travel on the back of their 3-1 Champions League win at home to Paris Saint Germain, while Betis have climbed up to eighth following four wins from their last six games.
Betis beat Real Madrid in the Santiago Bernabeu earlier in the season, and Quique Setien's side play attractive football. They also appear to have found a new hero in Lucas Moron, who has scored three goals in his first two appearances for the club, earning them six points against Villarreal and Deportivo la Coruna.
