Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola is wary of the threat of second-placed Real Madrid. Real face third-placed Villarreal and then Almeria before reaching the midway point of the campaign.
"If we win the remaining games to finish the first half of the season we can be satisfied with our year," Guardiola said.
"But to be champions ahead of Real Madrid we will need to take many more points.
"They have a very good team, and have everything they need to not drop points. It is to our great merit that we can compete with a team as good as they are."