It will be the third opportunity for the Catalan club to clinch the title.

For the last two weekends, Barca have been relying on their nearest rivals Valencia to drop points to clinch the title but the 2004 champions failed to oblige.

Now, finally, Barcelona's destiny is in their own hands.

Valdes dismissed suggestions that they would take it easy and then try to win the title in front of their home fans against local rivals Espanyol on Saturday.

One worry for Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard is that Brazil forward Ronaldinho didn't train on Monday, suffering again from muscle twinges in his legs, but club officials said the World Player of the Year should be fit to play against Celta.

Celta are unlikely to roll over and give Barca an easy victory after having launched a late bid to qualify for the Champions League next season.

They have won their last four games to move up to fifth, just two points behind fourth-placed Osasuna, and last time out they scored an impressive 2-0 victory in the local Galician derby at Deportivo La Coruna.

The expressive Vazquez will not be able to direct his players from the sidelines and will have to bite his nails in the stands as he was sent off on Saturday for his constant comments to the referee.

Barcelona must go all out for a win, even though they have one eye on the Champions League final against Arsenal on May 17, because life could become much more complicated if they drop points.

Valencia are Barca's nearest rivals and eight points behind them, but they have a better head-to-head record and are on a five-game winning streak.

If Valencia close the gap with a win at struggling Real Mallorca earlier on Wednesday then Rijkaard may not be able to afford to rest players in the two remaining league games before the Champions League final.

Valencia captain David Albelda will return after a one match ban while Mallorca will be without their suspended defender Fernando Navarro.

Third-placed Real Madrid, who are two points behind Valencia, travel to Racing Santander on Thursday.

Real will be without their Spanish international goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was sent off on Sunday during their fraught 1-0 win at Osasuna, so Diego Lopez will start his first league game between the posts for the 29-times Spanish champions.

Julio Baptista, Real's goalscorer at Osasuna, sprained his right ankle late in Sunday's game and is doubtful for the trip north but his place can be filled easily with Zinedine Zidane available again after suspension.