La Liga has adopted a familiar look with Barcelona and Atletico Madrid back in the top four, and both teams might now begin to believe they can finish second as Sevilla continues to stumble.

Barcelona, in particular, looks primed for a late surge after winning four games on the bounce, its January signings giving it a boost just when it needed it most.

It still has seven points to overturn to reach second but Xavi Hernandez's side does have a game in hand, as well as a meeting with Sevilla to come next month at Camp Nou.

Such is the optimism around Barcelona that Xavi was even asked on Wednesday if his side could yet win the title, although for Real Madrid to spurn a 15-point advantage with 11 games to go, 12 in Barca's case, seems unthinkable.

"Mathematics say that we can win the league, so why not?" Xavi said. "The others are failing but not Real Madrid. They have time on their side. It's very difficult, but not impossible."

Still, a second-place finish would mark an impressive turnaround for Barca and Xavi, who took over in November with the team lying ninth. If the league began on Jan. 1, Barcelona would be on top.

Barca should continue its strong run at home with 11th-placed Osasuna on Sunday, with its next game at Real Madrid on March 20, after the second leg against Galatasaray in the Europa League. The La Liga giant was handed a surprise setback by Galatasaray and narrowly avoided a shock defeat on Thursday.

"La Liga and the Europa League are the two goals but the first is to be in the Champions League next year," said Xavi. "We're already third and the goals now are the two remaining titles. La Liga doesn't lie to you."

Madrid had been giving encouragement to the chasing pack after winning only three out of seven games between December and February.

But its 4-1 trouncing of Real Sociedad last weekend was ominously convincing, while a momentous comeback against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday hardly suggested a team about to let up.

With Karim Benzema fit and firing again, Madrid, who plays at Mallorca on Monday night, looks more likely to extend its eight-point cushion in the coming weeks than throw it away.

"Karim is back to being the best Karim, the Karim he was before his injury," Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.

Sevilla stumbling

Real has rarely felt any sustained pressure from Sevilla, which has drawn five out of its last seven league games and against lesser opposition too. Valencia, Celta Vigo, Osasuna, Espanyol and Alaves were all able to claim a share of the spoils against Julen Lopetegui's side.

That has allowed Madrid to cruise clear and leaves Sevilla suddenly looking down rather than up. A visit to Rayo Vallecano, which is on a dreadful run itself, should at least get it back to winning ways on Sunday.

Atletico Madrid still faces a scrap to qualify for the Champions League, despite its 3-1 victory over fellow top-four hopeful Real Betis last weekend.

That puts Atletico two points ahead of Betis, but the scoreline flattered Diego Simeone's side, which has an awkward game at Cadiz on Friday, four days before its second leg against Manchester United in the Champions League. It might be too soon to think Atletico has turned a corner.

Betis will want to keep up the pressure on Atletico with a win at home against Athletic Bilbao on Saturday, while Villarreal and Real Sociedad, in sixth and seventh, are still in contention but have ground to make up after defeats last weekend.

Villarreal hosts Celta Vigo on Saturday, and Real Sociedad meets struggling Alaves at home on Sunday.