Coming off emphatic Champions League victories, Spanish leader s Barcelona and Real Madrid prepare for one last domestic league game before an expected onslaught of “clasico” match-ups between the pair.

Barcelona play last-place Almeria today when Madrid are at Athletic Bilbao as the rivals prime for their 16 April league game at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. The pair then meet in the Copa del Rey final four days later and should face off in a Champions League semi-final series with both holding sizable advantages against their opponents.

In their quarter-final first leg games, Madrid crushed Tottenham 4-0 and Barcelona routed Shakhtar Donetsk 5-1 to set up the possibility of four clasico matches in 18 days.

With Madrid trailing Barcelona by eight points in the standings, coach Jose Mourinho may even rest several players for the game at the San Mames, with many rushed back from injury against Tottenham.

Karim Benzema appears to have overcome a leg injury but Mourinho may rest the France striker alongside forwards Cristiano Ronaldo and Angel Di Maria with Wednesday’s return leg at White Hart Lane still to play.

The San Mames has traditionally provided a hostile atmosphere for Madrid, although the Spanish giants have won five of their last six trips there. Fifth-place Bilbao are nine points behind Villarreal for the last Champions League qualifying place as they look to secure a European spot for next season.

Kaka made an encouraging return after being sidelined for over one month as the Brazil playmaker delivered to Ronaldo for the final goal against Tottenham.

“Kaka’s return is very good news as he’s a player with lots of experience in the Champions League and class to play these games,” Mourinho said.

Lionel Messi may get a rest for Barcelona, who are looking to stretch their club record unbeaten run to 29 games against an opponent that is sitting four points from safety.

“We hope for the win so we can go to the Bernabeu with the best advantage possible,” said Barcelona forward Pedro Rodriguez, who returned from injury to play against Shakhtar. “We need to go little-by-little and find our best form since there are a lot of tough games coming up.”

Barcelona’s players were trying not to overlook Tuesday’s match in Donetsk although it was difficult to avoid talking about the chance of playing so many clasicos. The bitter rivals will meet seven times in 2011 with a Spanish Supercup two-legged series in August ahead of next season’s first clasico in the autumn.

“It can be something nice, a great achievement for us but it’s still too early to say,” Pedro said. “It’s never happened before, it could be nice.”

Former sporting director Roberto Olabe takes charge of Almeria, who are winless in five games, after they made their second coaching change of the season by firing Jose Luis Oltra on Monday. Oltra had replaced Juan Manuel Lillo, who was fired after an 8-0 defeat to Barcelona earlier this season.

Also, Valencia and Villarreal meet tomorrow in a regional derby with both trying to consolidate third place.

Valencia lead Villarreal by three points but have lost six of the last 10 meetings between the two teams.

“It wouldn’t be definitive but it would be an important step which would provide a good gap between us,” Valencia winger Joaquin Sanchez said.

Valencia are 24 points behind Barcelona with eight games to play to leave Madrid as the only team capable of catching the two-time defending champions.

In other 31st-round games, it’s: Mallorca vs. Sevilla; Sporting Gijon vs. Osasuna; Hercules vs. Espanyol; Racing Santander vs. Levante; Malaga vs. Deportivo La Coruna; Atletico Madrid vs. Real Sociedad; and Zaragoza vs. Getafe.

Today

Athletic Bilbao-Real Madrid

Barcelona-Almeria

Real Mallorca-Sevilla

Tomorrow

Hercules-Espanyol

Malaga-Deportivo La Coruna

Racing Santander-Levante

Sporting Gijon-Osasuna

Atletico Madrid-Real Sociedad

Valencia-Villarreal

Monday

Real Zaragoza-Getafe