Pep Guardiola's Barca re-established their seven-point cushion at the Primera Division summit at the weekend with a 3-0 win at Real Mallorca, while second-placed Real Madrid could only manage a 0-0 draw at Deportivo La Coruna.

Los Che head into the midweek programme 10 points adrift of Madrid in third spot and buoyed by last night's come-from-behind 2-1 win at Athletic Bilbao.

Joaquin knows just what to expect but wants his side to give a good account of themselves.

He said: "It will be an important game against the best team in the world.

"It is clear that we will suffer like never before because Barcelona is a great team, but we will try to play our football.

"We are doing things very well and will try to ensure the Blaugrana are not comfortable in the Mestalla."

Barca midfielders Xavi and Jeffren could be in contention for the visitors after resuming training today following injuries.

An away win on Wednesday would put Barca provisionally 10 points clear of Jose Mourinho's Madrid, who do not turn out against Malaga until Thursday.

Anything less than victory for Madrid would be virtually unthinkable against relegation-threatened Malaga, who have managed only five points in 29 trips to the Bernabeu - the most recent of their five draws coming in 2001.

Fourth-placed Villarreal slipped four points behind Valencia on the back of a 2-2 draw at Racing Santander yesterday, and will look to turn the heat back up on Los Che with a home win over 15th-spotted Hercules on Wednesday.

Espanyol thrashed Real Sociedad 4-1 on Saturday to climb to fifth, and will aim to continue where they left off tomorrow night when they host Real Mallorca.

Also tomorrow, seventh-placed Sevilla will seek to boost their European hopes with victory over Sporting Gijon at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Atletico Madrid visit Getafe on Wednesday keen to pick up three points after feeling they deserved more than a point from Saturday's 2-2 home draw against Sevilla - secured by Jose Antonio Reyes' late equaliser.

Defender Alvaro Dominguez said: "We deserved the win but eventually we got the draw. But, maybe if we win against Getafe on Wednesday then a draw will not seem a bad result."

In other games on Wednesday, struggling Real Zaragoza host Athletic, Osasuna take on Deportivo and Sociedad tackle Levante, while on Thursday Racing Santander visit lowly Almeria.