* Barca host third-placed Sevilla, Real play Getafe
* Catalans lead by six points with seven games left
* Real host Barca in "El Clasico" in two weeks' time
By Iain Rogers
MADRID, April 20 - The Primera Liga title will be
decided by "El Clasico" between leaders Barcelona and
second-placed Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in just under two
weeks, according to Real midfielder Lassana Diarra.
Barca have a six-point advantage over the champions with
seven matches left and can move a step closer to a first Spanish
title in three years with victory over third-placed Sevilla at
the Nou Camp on Wednesday.
Real have a chance to cut the Catalans' lead in half when
they host city rivals Getafe on Tuesday and know that the clash
against Barca on May 3 could be a last chance to prevent Pep
Guardiola's side taking their league crown.
Diarra, who is suspended for the Getafe match, said it was
perfectly possible Barca would drop points against Sevilla and
at in-form Valencia, in fourth, on Saturday before they come to
Madrid the following weekend.
"Barcelona have two very hard matches and then the Champions
League (semi-final against Chelsea) but the title will be
decided in the Real Madrid-Barcelona match," Diarra said in an
interview published in Monday's Marca newspaper.
"It very much has that look about it and it's going to be a
spectacular game," the French international added.
Under coach Juande Ramos, Real have won 15 of their 16
league matches since losing 2-0 at the Nou Camp in mid December,
staying in the hunt for a third consecutive title and hoping
Barca's packed schedule would cause them to slip up.
PACKED CALENDAR
Barca are still alive in three competitions -- Spanish
league, King's Cup and Champions League -- and midfielder Xavi
said he was feeling neither physically nor mentally tired.
"It's a privilege to have a calendar as packed as ours and
to have a chance to compete for glory," the Spain international
told the club's website (www.fcbarcelona.com).
"They (Real) are talking about something hypothetical
whereas I talk about realities," he added. "We are the ones who
are in front and we are the ones with the six-point lead."
Barca's task against Sevilla will be made easier by the
absence of the Andalusians' first-choice goalkeeper Andres Palop
and defender Adriano Correia, who are suspended.
Valencia play at improving Real Betis on Wednesday on a run
of four straight league wins that has lifted Unai Emery's side
above Atletico Madrid and Villarreal into the fourth Champions
League qualification spot.
On Thursday, Villarreal host struggling Recreativo Huelva
and Atletico travel to Santander to take on Racing. Recre are in
18th on 30 points and Espanyol and Numancia fill the remaining
two relegation places on 29 and 28 points respectively.
(Reporting by Iain Rogers, editing by Justin Palmer; To
query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)