The 29-year-old will head to the Mestalla on Wednesday having scored twice in three league games, and once in the Champions League draw with AC Milan.

Barca put that disappointment - and a 2-2 draw with Real Sociedad before it - behind them by beating Osasuna 8-0 on Saturday.

They are unlikely to be given such an easy ride at Valencia, but Villa will go into the game with confidence having scored in each of his last two games.

He told www.fcbarcelona.com: "You always need goals. When you're scoring you work in a different way. Goals are really important for your confidence and an 8-0 win is an enormous boost.

"Now I have to keep on working to score more goals that will help the team achieve more victories."

That win put Barca a point clear of rivals Real Madrid, who surprisingly lost away to Levante, but it is Valencia who lead the way from Real Betis, who both have maximum points.

Betis coach Pepe Mel is not getting carried away, though, ahead of his side's next game against Real Zaragoza on Thursday.

"I do not look at the classification, I have only looked at the next game, and the next thing is Zaragoza," he told www.realbetisbalompie.es.

Madrid will look to get back to winning ways at Racing Santander on Wednesday, and boss Jose Mourinho will feel more comfortable about the points dropped at the weekend if they do that.

"All points are important and it's better to lose one game than to draw two," he told www.realmadrid.com.

"Losing is tougher psychologically than drawing a match, but drawing two is worse than losing one.

"We'll be in a better position if we exchange this defeat with a reduced number of draws. Every game and every point at stake is important."

Levante meanwhile will have the chance to continue their run when they head to Rayo Vallecano, who have an identical record of a win and two draws from their three games.

Also on Wednesday, Atletico Madrid host rock-bottom Sporting Gijon, who are still looking for their first point, and winless Athletic Bilbao go to Malaga.

Sevilla coach Marcelino is expecting a backlash from Osasuna when they get the week's Primera Division action under way tomorrow night.

"I think that hurts us more than it benefits us," he told www.sevillafc.es of Osasuna's thrashing at the Nou Camp. "They're a team that play with great intensity."

Also tomorrow, Real Sociedad host Granada and Real Mallorca head to a Villarreal side who have just a point from their three games.

Thursday's other game sees Getafe make the trip to Catalonia to take on Espanyol.