MADRID, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- Two matches above all dominate the horizon in Sunday's games in the BBVA Primera Liga.

    Third placed Valencia plays local rivals Villarreal in the Mestalla stadium, while sixth placed Mallorca defends its 100 percent home record against Deportivo la Coruna in the ONO Stadium.

    Valencia is in form after a 3-1 away win to Xerez and although Unai Emery's team was knocked out of the Copa del Rey in midweek, Emery is able to welcome winger Pablo Hernandez back into his side.

    Villarreal also lost in the Copa during the week, crashing out to a controversial 90th minute penalty against second division Xerez. However, Ernesto Valverde has seen his side improve after a poor start to the season and Villarreal is now comfortably in mid-table despite dropping points against Almeria last weekend.

    Mallorca and Deportivo both made it into the last eight in the Copa, but Mallorca rested key players against Rayo Vallecano and could be fresher for the match that its rivals.

    The side coached by Gregorio Manzano has won all eight of its league matches at home and will once again be tough to beat with eight goal striker Aritz Aduriz leading the line.

    Atletico Madrid wants to keep the feel-good factor of two successive league wins and Thursday's dramatic fight back in the Copa de Rey alive for the visit of Sporting Gijon.

    Tiredness could be Atletico's main enemy in this match after the huge effort made by the players to beat Recreativo Huelva 5-1 on Thursday night.

    The good news in that match was the return of the Diego Forlan - Kun Aguero partnership in attack, although Atletico still looks vulnerable in defense.

    Elsewhere Getafe continues its quest for a European place away to Malaga, a side it defeated 5-1 in the Copa during the week. Malaga is unbeaten, however, in its last seven Primera Liga matches.

    Valladolid coach Jose Luis Mendilibar could be in trouble should his side lose away to Racing Santander, where young striker Sergio Canales has suddenly become the hottest property in Spanish football.

    Finally there are two vital games in the battle to avoid relegation as Tenerife looks for its first away win in Almeria andthe bottom two sides go head to head as Zaragoza entertains a Xerez side that sacked coach Jose Angel Ziganda during the week.