Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra has played down the five-point gap to leaders Barcelona as the La Liga season reaches its midway point.

Madrid started 2010 just two points behind their arch rivals and could have taken over top spot, but poor away form, which has seen them return from trips to Osasuna and Athletic Bilbao with just one point and no goals scored, has undermined their efforts.

Fortunately for Manuel Pellegrini's side they are at home this weekend, where they boast a 100% record, but Diarra admits they need to step up their game on the road if they are to keep the pressure on Barca.

He said: "We need to improve our away performances and continue winning in the Bernabeu. We were unable to score in each of our last two league matches away, but such things can happen in football.

"Since returning from Bilbao we have been working hard to improve and to be able to score in our upcoming matches."

Nevertheless, the France international insists Barca's advantage is nothing to be worried about.

"A five-point lead for Barcelona is only a matter of two games. Things can change quickly in football," he said.

Hoping to stop Madrid from making it nine home wins from nine this weekend are a Malaga side who have yet to win away and lost heavily on their last trip to the capital earlier this month, going down 5-1 in the cup to Getafe.

However, that is the only defeat Malaga have suffered since November 1, and last weekend they gained revenge over Getafe with a 1-0 win that lifted them out of the relegation zone.

Reigning champions Barca will be in buoyant mood for their trip to fourth-bottom Real Valladolid following yesterday's news that sextuple-winning coach Pep Guardiola has committed himself to the club for next season.

Guardiola's existing contract runs out this summer and there has been plenty of speculation about his future, but he has verbally committed to staying with the Catalan giants for another 12 months and will put pen to paper following this summer's presidential elections.

Striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said: "All the players wanted him to continue as he has done an excellent job. With this news we are all much more relaxed. I never thought a club like Barcelona would allow a coach like Guardiola to get away."

Whilst Ibrahimovic is delighted about the news, he is less pleased about his own form at present.

The Swedish ace has scored 13 goals in all competitions since his big-money summer move from Inter Milan, but he has found the back of the net only once in his last six games.

It is not the lack of goals that his troubling Ibrahimovic though, but his performances lately.

"When I play badly, I recognise it and I think that I've played badly in the last two games. I can play much better," he said.

"I'm not worried by going a while without scoring. If the team wins, it doesn't matter who scores the goals. I'm much more disappointed, for example, with the cup elimination."

That cup elimination came at the hands of Sevilla, who followed up their triumph over holders Barca with a 3-0 win over Deportivo La Coruna in the away leg of their quarter-final tie last night.

That has put the Andalusian side within touching distance of the semi-finals, but they have much to improve on in the league where four successive defeats have dropped them down to sixth. On Saturday Manolo Jimenez's side face Almeria.

Also on Saturday is Barca's match, as well as an interesting battle between fifth-placed Depor and seventh-placed Athletic Bilbao.

Madrid are in action on Sunday, along with Sporting Gijon-Racing Santander, Tenerife-Valencia, Villarreal-Real Zaragoza and Espanyol-Real Mallorca.

Also, bottom club Xerez will be under the guidance of new coach Nestor Gorosito as they look to close the six-point gap on second-bottom Zaragoza when they host Osasuna.

The other game will see improving Atletico Madrid looking for their fifth win in six games in 2010 when they make the short trip to local rivals Getafe.