Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are looking forward to continuing their battle this weekend to be top of the scorer's chart in La Liga. Both strikers have a good chance to boost their tally because Real Madrid and Barcelona have relatively easy home matches, against Espanyol and Sporting Gijon respectively. Since Ronaldo joined Real from Manchester United for a world record fee in 2009, he has been duelling with Messi for the prestigious title of "Pichichi", league top scorer. In 2009/10 season Messi won the trophy with 34 goals, picking up the Europan Golden Shoe award in the process. Last season Ronaldo shattered all the records to finish with 40, taking the Spanish and European awards away from Messi. This year, with 14 matches left, Ronaldo has 29 goals to his name and Messi 28. After scoring the winning goal away to Rayo Vallecano last Sunday, with an impudent back-heel, Ronaldo said: "What is important is that we have won again, that we are still top of the league. That is more important than how many goals I have scored myself." The whites are 10 points ahead of Barca, and intend to keep things that way by beating Espanyol on Sunday. Ronaldo failed to score in Portugal's 0-0 draw in Poland on Wednesday, in which Real team-mate Fabio Coentrao was injured. Against Espanyol, Real will also be without injured striker Karim Benzema. On Wednesday, Espanyol coach Mauricio Pochettino said: "Madrid is always a difficult place to go to, but this is also a good opportunity for us. I am only thinking about winning." Pochettino, one of La Liga's brightest young coaches, is rumoured to be a target for Real - in case Jose Mourinho decides to up sticks in June. On Tuesday, Mourinho created a storm in a teacup by showing up in London looking for a new house, thus provoking - quite intentionally, it seems - fresh rumours about a possible summer departure. Barca should have few problems on Saturday against Gijon, who are second from bottom and leaking goals alarmingly. Also on Saturday, Rayo Vallecano will receive Racing Santander, Getafe will take on Malaga, and Sevilla will face Atletico Madrid. Sevilla and Atletico - revitalized by new coaches Michel and Diego Simeone - are together in joint ninth place, both desperate to move up towards the European places. The big game on Sunday, in addition to the Real-Espanyol clash, is the Basque derby between Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad. Sunday's other games are Granada v Valencia and Zaragoza v Villarreal. On Monday fourth-placed Levante will be at home to Betis.
