Sevilla and Atletico to fight out “seven-pointer”

Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are battling it out for a Champions League place for next season and can take a big step towards that goal with a victory in the Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday.

The Primera Liga’s fourth-placed side Atletico, with 47 points, are two ahead of Sevilla in fifth, and also have the edge in meetings between them having won a 4-3 thriller at the Calderon back in October.

If the sides finish level on points in May the head-to-heads come into play and that makes Saturday’s game even more important, Sevilla’s sports director Ramon “Monchi” Rodriguez said.

“I would say it is a seven-pointer. The three you win, the three you take off the other side and one more for the goal average,” he told the club’s Web site (www.sevillafc.es).

“A victory would give us confidence but also fire out a warning to our rivals that we are in the mix as well.”

The encounter pitches two of the La Liga’s most exciting forward lines against each other. Sevilla boast the league’s top scorer in Brazilian Luis Fabiano (22 goals) and Mali’s Frederic Kanoute (10).

Atletico have in-form duo Diego Forlan of Uruguay (13) and Sergio Aguero of Argentina (11).

At the top of the table, leaders Real Madrid host 11th-placed Valencia on Sunday reeling from the news that they will be without Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy for around six weeks after ankle surgery.

With 10 games left Bernd Schuster’s men hold a seven-point lead over second-placed Barcelona, who have 55 points, but are struggling for form and have lost three of their last five league outings.

Valencia’s title challenge has long since fallen by the wayside and their spirits will be conditioned by the outcome of Thursday’s King’s Cup semi-final second leg against Barcelona, probably their last chance to take something positive from the season.

Barca host relegation-threatened Valladolid on Sunday having only taken one point from the last nine.

Breathing down Barca’s necks in third are Villarreal on 53 points, who are unbeaten in their last seven. They make the short trip to visit bottom club Levante on Sunday.

“Our primary objective is to secure a Champions League place,” Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Lopez said.

“We’ll see how our games go, and how Real and Barca do, and if things continue the way they are doing at present perhaps we could push for second place or even something more.”