Preview: Barcelona to dethrone Real Madrid, 8 teams heat up Euro race

FC Barcelona enter matchday 34 with a chance to wrap up the league in what has been an excellent season for the club in LaLiga.

Xavi Hernandez and his men hold a large lead at the top of the standings and could mathematically clinch the title with four games to spare when they take on Espanyol in the Barcelona Derby.

No matter what second-placed Atlético de Madrid and defending champions, Real Madrid, who are third, do in their matches, the Catalans are on the brink of dethroning Los Blancos if they manage to win on Sunday.

While Barcelona look to end the title race, the race for who makes it to Europe will continue to excite with some head-to-head fights between the contenders

Villarreal are looking to catch fourth-placed Real Sociedad while the duo of Rayo Vallecano and Athletic Club want to put even more pressure on Girona.

Only a point separates Girona and Athletic Club from Rayo, the latter two will be looking to take advantage of Girona’s trip to the Reale Arena to face Sociedad.

However, other it gets even more interesting as our teams battling for European places will be facing each other.

That game at the Reale is the first of four matches on Saturday, with so much at stake for both teams.

Given the result of the Copa del Rey final, won by Real Madrid, seventh is now a Conference League ticket and the Catalan club hope to hold on to it.

Nigeria Super Eagles winger Samuel Chukwueze and his Villarreal CF welcome Athletic Club to the east coast.

These are two more teams who want continental football next season with the Yellow Submarines to be motivated by the return from injury of star striker Gerard Moreno.

Nicolas Jackson has been in fine form in his absence, scoring four in his past three games, so Villarreal might start with both up front which might not be good news for Athletic.

There is one more fixture in the battle for continental football with Real Betis and Rayo on Monday night.

Los Verdiblancos are currently in the Europa League spots and the team from the capital, who are currently ninth, would like to join them.

Their star man Isi Palazón, who just signed a new contract until 2028 and will look to keep up his bright form in this first fixture since that renewal.

Soon-to-be-dethroned defending champions Real Madrid have had a disappointing title defence but will be hoping to finish on a high starting with the game against Getafe on Sunday.

It’s a Madrid derby, with the other Madrid side, Atletico, on the road as they visit Elche whose relegation has already been confirmed.