Sevilla boasts a perfect record at its Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan this season but Madrid's away form is formidable, with five wins in six matches.

The sides have emerged as the biggest threats to leader FC Barcelona's hopes of a third straight league title.

Barcelona has 30 points, while Madrid has 29 and Sevilla 28. All three have won nine of their 13 matches.

Madrid appears to have a slight edge after last weekend's games.

Sevilla suffered its first defeat in seven matches at Espanyol. In contrast, the 29-time champion extended its winning streak to four games by beating Athletic Bilbao.

``We're in gear. Let's see if we can move to the top before Christmas. Now's the moment to beat Sevilla,'' Madrid right-back Michel Salgado said.

Ronaldo's return from a left knee problem has added to Madrid's positive mood.

The Brazilian scored against Bilbao and added two more in a 2-2 Champions League draw at Dynamo Kiev on Wednesday, his first in Europe's elite competition for two years.

``He is much better and he can improve even more. All he needs is more time on the field as he's been out for a long time,'' coach Fabio Capello said.

David Beckham, who made a good impression on his recall for the Kiev game, could keep his place and make only his eighth start in 22 games this season.

Beckham's chances have been helped by Jose Antonio Reyes' right thigh strain, which may deny the forward the chance of a return to his former club.

European player of the year Fabio Cannavaro and playmaker Jose Maria (Guti) Gutierrez should be back from injury, while midfielder Mahamadou Diarra is suspended.

It seems unlikely Sevilla will repeat its 4-3 win in the teams' last meeting in May as Madrid has only conceded nine goals this season.

However, Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute is quietly confident of another success.

``We'll adapt our style and we'll know the way to play Madrid. It's going to be hard but we're ready,'' said the Mali striker, the league's joint top scorer with 10 goals.

Sevilla's talented right-winger Jesus Navas has recovered from the left knee injury which has sidelined him for a month, although striker Luis Fabiano and defenders Julien Escude, Ivica Dragutinovic and Aitor Ocio are doubtful.

Unbeaten in six matches, Barcelona needs to win Saturday's home game with lowly Real Sociedad (GolTV, 2 p.m. ET) to be assured of retaining the leadership.

The champion will be in confident mood after the 2-0 victory over Werder Bremen four days earlier which secured its passage into the Champions League knockout phase.

``The result brings us a lot of tranquillity,'' Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard said.

Already lacking injured forwards Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi and Javier Saviola, Barcelona may also be without midfielder Andres Iniesta, who sprained his ankle against the German team.

The match is the European champion's final one before it travels to Japan for the World Club Championship.

Barcelona opens in Yokohama next Thursday with a semifinal against the winner of Mexico's America and South Korea's Jeonbuk Motors.

Sociedad remains without a victory this season although it drawn its last four games.

Injury-hit Valencia, mired in a six-game winless streak and 12 points off the lead, hopes to welcome back captain David Albelda and striker David Villa for its home match with No. 11 Deportivo La Coruna on Sunday.

Albelda, who was one of 10 players sidelined for last weekend's loss at Recreativo Huelva, remains confident the ninth-place team's fortunes will improve once its casualty room empties.

``You start to think that someone's done some black magic on you,'' Albelda said. ``The solution is to get our players back. Before Christmas we'll have turned this around.''

Also this weekend, it's: Atletico Madrid versus Espanyol (GolTV, 1 p.m. ET); Getafe versus Betis; Gimnastic Tarragona versus Levante; Celta Vigo versus Villarreal; Osasuna versus Mallorca; Racing Santander versus Zaragoza; and Athletic Bilbao versus Recreativo.