UEFA Champions League: The demands of the intense season have already kicked in with the race for the title reduced to a head-to-head between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, both of whom qualified for the final of the Copa del Rey after two intense semifinals this week. After winning their semifinal return leg away to Atletico Madrid on Wednesday night, FC Barcelona have very little recovery time before defending their three-point lead at the top of the La Liga at home to Real Betis on Saturday.
It is Barca's fourth game in just 10 days and Hansi Flick will have to continue with his squad rotations against one of the most in-form teams in the league. Although Barca beat Betis 5-1 in the Copa del Rey in January, Betis have improved drastically in the past two months and are looking to qualify for next season's UEFA Champions League after a run of six consecutive league wins.
Real Madrid had to play extra time on Tuesday as Real Sociedad exposed their defensive problems, and Carlo Ancelotti's side now plays at home to Valencia. Ancelotti will also have to rotate his squad after the Copa del Rey and with a Champions League visit to Arsenal next week, while Valencia travel after a 1-0 win at home to Mallorca that lifted the team four points clear of the bottom three.
