Barcelona will look to put some more daylight between them and the rest of the pack when they take on second-placed Atletico Madrid in their crunch La Liga game Sunday.
Barca are currently six points ahead of Atletico, who will know a loss will as good as end their challenge for a title.
"Their points total says it all," Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova said. "We've made the best ever start to a league season and they're only 6 points behind.
"In any other league they would be the leaders. They're making a great start to the season and they finished in excellent form last season. Putting the two runs together is spectacular."
Barca are unbeaten in the season, and with Real Madrid playing earlier on against Espanyol, will have the advantage of knowing exactly what the gap will be between them and their biggest rivals.
Atletico did not show up in their previous big game - against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu - but Vilanova fully expects their opponents top give them a hard time at the Camp Nou.
"The games they haven't taken points from have been at grounds where you can easily lose," he said. "I put more value on the number of points they've managed to accumulate and their form in the Cup and the Europa League. They believe in themselves and that's the most important thing in a team."
The game will also be a battle between Lionel Messi and Radamel Falcao, although Vilanova believes there are quite a few players, besides Falcao, in the Atletico lineup that can pose an equal threat.
"They've got a group of quality players, who are absolutely clear about what they have to do," Vilanova added. "They're not just Falcao, they've got goal scorers like Diego Costa and Adrian, and the midfielders and fullbacks get into attacking positions. And when they have to defend, they defend very well all together."
Barca will be without Cesc Fabregas, who has a hamstring problem, while Atletico will be without Cristian Rodriguez. They will welcome back Miranda though, after the defender missed the last game through suspension.
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Expected lineups: Barcelona: Valdes; Montoya, Pique, Puyol, Alba; Busquets, Xavi, Iniesta; Pedro, Villa, Messi.
Atletico Madrid: Courtois; Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe; Suarez, Gabi; Koke, Turan, Costa; Falcao.
Prediction: 4-2 to Barcelona
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