SOCCER: SPANISH LA LIGA:LA LIGA joint-top scorers Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, with 27 goals apiece, were both working to shake off injuries in time for tonight's matches.
With games left to play this season, Messi’s Barcelona host Getafe (Sky Sports 4, 7.0) defending a five-point lead at the top over second-placed Real Madrid, who visit city rivals Atletico Madrid (Sky Sports 4, 9.0).
Ronaldo returned after a muscle strain to help Real knock Olympique Lyon out of the Champions League on Wednesday, but was substituted in the second half and had ice strapped to his leg on the bench. Jose Mourinho’s side have had only 72 hours to prepare for the derby and will be wary of aggravating the Portugal forward’s injury.
Messi was still having treatment on a bruised knee from last weekend but was expected to make the Barcelona squad while the injured Carles Puyol, Pedro and Maxwell are likely to miss out.
French defender Eric Abidal was recovering from surgery to remove a tumour from his liver and will also be sidelined, which means Pep Guardiola will have to shuffle his resources to find a partner for Gerard Pique in the centre of defence again.
Atletico, seventh, last beat their neighbours Real at the Calderon in the 1998/9 season and have already lost three times to them this season, in the league at the Bernabeu and in both legs of a King’s Cup quarter-final tie.
