While the two Madrid teams have been expanding their energies in the Champions League semi-finals, Spanish league leaders Barcelona had a full week to prepare for tomorrow’s visit to Real Betis.
Barca are level on points with Atletico Madrid and just one above third-placed Real with three games left.
In the event of a tie at the end of the season with either or both of the Madrid teams, Barca would retain the Liga title because of their better head-to-head results against the Madrid challengers.
“We know that we have to win our last three games, nothing more and nothing less,” Barca coach Luis Enrique said. “They are going to be three very hard matches, we know that. But I really believe that we have the capacity to pull it off.”
“We know that we have to win our last three games, nothing more and nothing less. They are going to be three very hard matches, we know that. But I really believe that we have the capacity to pull it off.”

Luis Enrique is considering bringing back veteran right-back Dani Alves after sidelining him recently and opting for Sergi Roberto instead.
Barca scored 14 goals and conceded none in their last two matches, impressive destructions of Deportivo La Coruna (8-0) and Sporting Gijon (6-0).
The big wins proved that they have emerged from the crisis which brought three straight league defeats and a quarter-final exit from the Champions League against Atletico.
However, they might struggle to get past Betis keeper Antonio Adan, who is determined to foil Barca in order to help his former club Real Madrid.
“I am really going to try to stop Barca in their tracks,” Adan said. ”Real is the club of my heart, so I will be delighted if I manage to help them.”
Betis are 13th, safely nine points above the relegation zone.
Also tomorrow, Atletico host lowly Rayo Vallecano in an Estadio Calderon where they beat Bayern Munich 1-0 in the Champions League semis on Wednesday.
Popular coach Diego Simeone will be tempted to freshen up his tired team by bringing in reserves like Jesus Gamez, Matias Kranewitter, Thomas Partey, Angel Correa and Luciano Vietto, with Tuesday’s second leg at Bayern in his mind.
“We have no time to relax now, we just have to carry on training and playing, until the very end,” said youngster Saul Niguez, who scored the best goal of his promising career against Bayern.
Atletico will again be without injured key defender Diego Godin.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are at Real Sociedad, with Cristiano Ronaldo again sitting out in a bid to overcome a hamstring injury in time for Wednesday’s showdown against Manchester City.
Karim Benzema is also doubtful after aggravating a knee injury in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw at City.
The Whites have won their last nine league games and are clearly in good heart.
Fourth bottom Granada host Las Palmas in the other game, and cannot afford defeat as they are just one point ahead of the drop zone.
The weekend’s other games are: third-last Gijon v Eibar, Athletic Bilbao v Celta Vigo, Espanyol v Sevilla, Deportivo La Cornua v second last Getafe, Valencia v Villarreal and Malaga v bootom club
Levante.