Barça plan raid on La Romareda

With two of their title rivals preoccupied with European affairs, a win at Real Zaragoza on Saturday could edge FC Barcelona closer to the Primera División title.

Pole position
A 2-1 home win against RC Deportivo La Coruña put the Spanish champions two points clear at the top of the table, with second-placed Sevilla FC being held to a 0-0 draw away against fellow UEFA Cup quarter-finalists CA Osasuna. Juande Ramos's Sevilla side still face a punishing schedule in the UEFA Cup, Copa del Rey and Primera División, and Barça coach Frank Rijkaard wants his side to raise their game. "The time has come to prove on the pitch that we want to fight for something," said the Dutchman, whose season has been somewhat tarnished by the defending European champions' failure to progress past the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League. "The players still have a lead to improve upon and it's time to step up a gear to become champions again."

Away form
At home, Barça remain peerless - they are on target to complete an unbeaten league season at home for the first time since 1992/93 - but their away form could be the key in the weeks ahead. Their 4-0 win at RC Recreativo de Huelva on 17 March was their first away success since November, and fifth-placed Zaragoza will be in no mood to go easy on the champions as they seek a European finish. Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernández is only too aware of the threat Zaragoza can pose and takes no comfort from a 2-1 away win against them in this season's Copa del Rey quarter-finals, a result which cancelled out a 1-0 home defeat. "It'll be a tough match against Zaragoza because our rivals are in good form and it'll be a totally different game to the one in the Copa del Rey," he said.

European ambitions
Zaragoza will not forget that result so easily, and with just three points between them and UEFA Champions League quarter-finalists Valencia CF - who occupy fourth place, the last qualifying berth for next season's competition - they are only too aware defeat is not an option against Barça, which could be great news for spectators at La Romareda. "It will be a great match to play in because both teams need to win but the three points at stake can only go to one side," said Zaragoza playmaker Pablo Aimar. "To win them we will have to make the most of our strengths, work hard and try to exploit their mistakes."