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Barcelona will need
to keep the euphoria in check if they are to hold onto the La Liga
title in what promises to be a nerve-jangling final day of the Spanish
season on Sunday.

The champions are
at home to Real Valladolid (1700 GMT) and have a one-point lead and the
head-to-head advantage over chasing Real Madrid.

At the same time,
their arch-rivals visit Malaga, where a victory and a Barca slip up is
the only way Real can avoid finishing a second consecutive season
without a trophy.

Both Valladolid and Malaga, along with three other sides, are fighting to avoid relegation to the second division.

Last weekend’s
nervy 3-2 win away to Sevilla saw Barca’s players celebrating on the
pitch having overcome what had been considered the toughest obstacle
left for them, but captain Carles Puyol sounded a note of caution.

“It’s a difficult
game against a side that is fighting to stay in the league. It won’t be
a stroll in the park,” the Spanish international told reporters. “We’ll
have to control the anxiety.” Barca have the mixed blessing of playing
in front of their own fans at the Nou Camp but face a wily opponent in
the shape of former Spain boss Javier Clemente, who has been brought in
to try and save Valladolid from relegation.

“Miracles don’t exist in football, but surprises do,” Clemente told daily Sport.

Guardiola, who
played under Clemente with Spain at the World Cup finals in 1994, will
be without suspended playmaker Xavi but could have Andres Iniesta back
from injury as a replacement.

Calculators and pens

A victory for Real
in Malaga would see them finish the season with 98 points which is
enough to have taken the title every year since the league began. But
it will not be enough if Barca also win to move onto 99.

Coach Manuel
Pellegrini is having to prepare for the weekend with the local press
talking up the possibility of Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho being
brought in as his replacement next season.

“I have a year left
on my contract and whether we win or lose (the title) should not
condition Madrid’s future,” the Chilean told reporters.

“You can’t say this
has been a lesser project when you consider how many points we have
achieved.” At the foot of the table, the three relegation slots will be
decided on Sunday (1700) with Valladolid, Racing Santander, Malaga and
Tenerife tied on 36 points, three ahead of bottom club Xerez.

With the
head-to-head rule deciding matters for those who finish level on
points, fans will be reaching for their calculators and pens to work
out the complicated consequences of each goal as events unfold during
the evening.