Madrid, May 1 (IANS): Matchday 36 in the Spanish Primera Liga this weekend could see several issues being resolved at the top and the bottom of the football league.
The first side to achieve their aim could be Athletic Club Bilbao who kick off the round of matches away to Rayo Vallecano Friday night knowing a win in Rayo's Vallecas Stadium will assure them of finishing fourth in the table and qualifying for next season's Champions League, reports Xinhua.
Athletic will be cheered on by over 3,000 travelling fans and given that last week Rayo assured their Primera Liga survival, there will be a party atmosphere in Vallecas for the game.
At the top of the table, Atletico Madrid could in theory be crowned champions if they win away to Levante, although for that to happen FC Barcelona would need to either draw or lose at home to struggling Getafe and Real Madrid be defeated at home to Valencia, who play a Europa League semifinal Thursday night.
The two Madrid clubs are in a magnificent moment after stunning away wins against Bayern Munich and Chelsea in midweek which have set up a Madrid derby in the final of the Champions League at the end of this month.
Barca play their first home game since the death of former coach, Tito Vilanova and it will be an emotional afternoon at the Camp Nou. Barca need to win to remain in the title race, while Getafe are currently fourth from bottom and struggling to avoid relegation.
Last weekend saw Real Betis mathematically relegated to the second division and this weekend sees them travel to face third from bottom Almeria, who know a win will probably lift them of of the bottom three.
Second from bottom Valladolid know anything other than a home win against an Espanyol side with nothing to play for will see them relegated, while Elche travel to face Malaga, another side in mid-table limbo.
Osasuna will hope to take advantage of the fact that Celta Vigo have assured their top-flight future, while Granada, who have slipped back into danger after successive defeats, visit Real Sociedad Monday.