What to watch in the main European football leagues
Valencia gets its chance to show it is a true contender in the LaLiga race.
It will put its eight-match winning streak to the test when it hosts leader Barcelona in one of the most anticipated matches of the season.
Valencia has a chance tomorrow at Mestalla Stadium to cut its four-point gap to the Catalan club, which has been thriving with 11 wins in 12 matches.
Third-place Real Madrid, 10 points off the lead, will try to get back in contention when it hosts struggling Malaga today.
Fourth-place Atletico Madrid, also 10 points behind Barcelona, is at Levante.
Fifth-place Sevilla is at sixth-place Villarreal today for its first game since the announcement that coach Eduardo Berizzo has been diagnosed with a malignant tumour in his prostate. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) can strike the first serious blow in the French title race if it wins at defending champion Monaco tomorrow. Monaco is reeling from its elimination from the Champions League group stage this week, and will fall nine points behind league leader PSG if it loses at Stade Louis II. Monaco, which beat PSG convincingly at home last season, has already lost twice while PSG is unbeaten and in rich scoring form with 43 in 13 games. Lyon and Marseille are in third and fourth place, respectively, and poised to take advantage if Monaco loses. But Lyon faces a potentially difficult trip to Nice while Marseille has an easier-looking home game against Guingamp. Lille, meanwhile, is in disarray following the suspension of coach Marcelo Bielsa following a string of poor results. Lille in 19th place and travels today to play Montpellier, which has the best defense in the league.