La Liga preview: Can Hercules stop powerhouses Barcelona?

Hercules will be out to extend their four-match home winning streak when they host Barcelona in La Liga action on Saturday.

Esteban Vigo’s side have been in brilliant form at their Estadio Jose Rico Perez home, scoring 13 goals in their past four wins there, but interestingly did not keep a clean sheet in the same streak.

Hercules’ away form has been the opposite of their home equivalent, going winless in their past eight, and not scoring in their past six league trips, in a clear indication the 12th-placed side in the Spanish top flight is exponentially better in front of their home faithful than elsewhere.

Barcelona, however, do not seem to mind the venue and enter the match as strong favourites as they seek to maintain their spot on top of the league.

The Catalans can increase their lead with a win and anything but a Real Madrid victory, but the boys from the Bernabeu should take all three points in their trip to Osasuna on Sunday.

Fifth side Espanyol can close the gap on the top four with a win over third-placed Villarreal at the Estadi Cornella El Prat on Sunday, while fourth-placed Valencia can protect their three-point buffer on Espanyol with victory over Racing Santander away from home on Monday.

Atletico Madrid can claim sixth place back from the in-form Athletic Bilbao when they welcome the Basque side to Estadio Vicente Calderon on Sunday.

In other fixtures on Saturday, Malaga and Real Zaragoza do battle in a relegation six-pointer, Mallorca host a Sporting Gijon side who are on a rare two-game winning streak, bottom-placed Levante welcome 10th-placed Getafe, Real Sociedad can get back onto the winners’ list when they host Almeria and Deportivo La Coruna take on eighth side Sevilla.