体坛英语新闻：Barca looking to end away day problems as Real Madrid visit Levante in Matchday 25

MADRID, Feb. 21 (Xinhua) -- FC Barcelona begin a decisive week of matches away from the Camp Nou Stadium in Matchday 25 of the Liga Santander.

Saturday sees Ernesto Valverde's side make the trip south to play Sevilla, ahead of consecutive visits to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in the second leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal and a league game which could well decide the destiny of this season's league title.

Barca travel to Sevilla with an seven-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Atletico Madrid, but knowing their recent away form has been disappointing.

Wednesday saw them fail to score in the Champions League away to Olympic Lyon, while their last league game saw them held to a 0-0 draw in Bilbao and a month ago they lost 2-0 away to Sevilla in the first leg of their Cup quarterfinal.

Valverde will also be worried that the only goal his side have scored in their last three matches was a Leo Messi penalty at home to Valladolid last weekend, although he must also be tempted to rest his star player ahead of the double header against Madrid.

Sevilla returned to form on Wednesday with a 2-0 Europa League win at home to Lazio, but have struggled for form at the start of 2019, losing 3-0 away to Villarreal last weekend and perhaps the fact they have played more matches than any other team in Spain so far this season has caught up with them.

The round of matches kicks off on Friday and Wu Lei is likely to start again as Espanyol look to continue a positive run of three games without defeat when they entertain Huesca, whose recovery was halted by a 1-0 defeat to Athletic Club Bilbao on Monday.

Athletic entertain Eibar in what promises to be an entertaining Basque derby between two sides who look to have left relegation worries behind them to now look towards Europe. Athletic go into the game after taking 19 points from 10 games under coach Gaizka Garitano.

Getafe have a great chance of moving into the top-four if they can inflict a fourth consecutive defeat on Rayo Vallecano on Saturday lunchtime, while Celta Vigo, who will be without striker Iago Aspas again, have to win away to sixth placed Alaves otherwise coach Manuel Cardoso is likely to be sacked.

With their Cup semifinal on Wednesday, Real Madrid are unhappy their game away to Levante is late on Sunday night, meaning they have a day less to recover than Barca, but Santiago Solari's men have had a rare midweek off to prepare for the weekend and will hope to have fresher legs than in last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Girona.

Madrid midfielder Casemiro will need to be careful on Sunday as a booking against Levante would see him suspended for next weekend's 'Clasico', while Sergio Ramos misses out after his red card a week ago.

Atletico Madrid will hope the feel good factor of their 2-0 Champions League win against Juventus will see them through at home against relegation threatened Villarreal, while Valencia could suffer for their efforts of playing Europa League, Cup and Liga Santander without a break when they travel to face an ever-complicated Leganes.

Valladolid need to start picking up points and may find some joy against a Betis side which must be as tired as Valencia due to domestic and European commitments and the round of game ends on Monday with Girona at home to Real Sociedad.