Barcelona hosts Sporting without Lionel Messi

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Barcelona will have to overcome Lionel Messi's absence against Sporting Gijon on Saturday as it tries to keep its dwindling chances for a fourth straight Spanish league title alive.

With Real Madrid already 10 points clear at the top of the table, Messi's one-game suspension for having collected five yellow cards leaves coach Pep Guardiola without his top scorer in a front line already depleted by David Villa's broken leg.

The loss of the three-time world player of the year should open the door for Pedro Rodriguez to accompany Alexis Sanchez in attack at Camp Nou stadium.

Pedro's season has been undermined by a series of injuries, and the forward was recently dropped from Spain's national team with just three months to go before it begins its European Championship defense.

Sporting has drawn its last two games under new coach Javier Clemente, who was brought in to revive the northern Spanish team that currently sits six points from safety in second-to-last place.

Clemente, a former Spain manager whose last win at Barcelona came 30 years ago when he was at the helm of Athletic Bilbao, said that while Barcelona's passing is effective, it is also boring.

"They play fantastic football, but I like a more direct style," he said. "I don't like long possessions when I am winning 1-0. I understand their way of playing and they have the right players for it, but I still don't like it."

The match comes as speculation over Guardiola's future with the European champions grows.

Earlier this week, Barcelona club president Sandro Rosell played down Guardiola's apparent hesitation to extend his contract that ends this season.

"The batteries of my patience with Pep are not dying," Rosell said. "They are solar powered, and here we have a lot of sun."

Madrid hosts Espanyol on Saturday looking for its ninth consecutive league win and 12th win in 13 home games this season at Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Cristiano Ronaldo leads the league with 29 goals— one more than Messi— and with 13 games to go he is on track to break his league record of 40 goals from last season.

Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino has led his young squad to sit just two points from fourth place in a pack of teams in the upper-middle part of the standings. Even so, the Argentine manager has yet to beat Madrid in over three-and-a-half seasons with his former club.

"Records are there to be broken," Pochettino said. "I don't think this game has anything to do with past ones."

Atletico Madrid and Sevilla face off on Saturday in a test between two teams enjoying turnarounds under new coaches.

Atletico will look to shake off its first loss in 10 games since the arrival of Diego Simeone last week to Barcelona, while Sevilla goes for its third victory in a row with Michel Gonzalez in charge.

"It's going to be a great game against an exciting rival," said Simeone. "We are both in a group of teams fighting for a place in the Champions League. The team with the most endurance, courage and regularity will finish in the top four."

Third-place Valencia visits Granada on Sunday seeking just its second win in nine games.

Unai Emery's team can count on in-form striker Roberto Soldado coming off a hat trick in Spain's 5-0 friendly win over Venezuela earlier this week.

Valencia has seen its lead over its rivals reduced to five points and can ill afford another stumble if it wants to maintain its secure hold on a place in the Champions League.

Three teams tied on points— Malaga, Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao— have a shot at moving into fourth place and laying claim to Spain's final slot in European club football's top-tier competition come next season.

Malaga aims to end a five-game away losing run on Saturday at Getafe while the surprising Osasuna is at Mallorca.

Bilbao welcomes back four Spanish internationals to San Mames stadium against Real Sociedad for Sunday's Basque derby.

A win by either of the three would take them two points clear of current fourth-place Levante, which will have to wait until Monday to play Real Betis.

Also, last-place Zaragoza hosts Villarreal Sunday desperate for a win facing a 12-point deficit to reach safety, while struggling Racing Santander visits Rayo Vallecano on Saturday.