Barcelona coach Luis Enrique says his team are ready for the decisive stage of the season as they head into Saturday's La Liga game at bottom side Cordoba.
With just four games left to play, Barcelona sit top of the Primera Division table, two points ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.
Many Barca fans and pundits are expecting three relatively easy points against a Cordoba team who have not won for 16 games, and were beaten 5-0 in December's reverse fixture.
The Blaugrana have also got one eye on Wednesday's Champions League semifinal first leg against Bayern Munich, with former Barca player and coach Pep Guardiola set for an emotional Camp Nou return in charge of the Bundesliga champions.
Asked if his team could be distracted by the looming clash with Guardiola's Bayern, Luis Enrique coach told his pregame news conference that he and his players would not endanger the hard work put in to get this close to the Spanish title by slipping up now.
"The league championship is in play," Luis Enrique said. "The players know that, I can see it in the training sessions. It takes many months to achieve this.
"We have been an intense team all season. Until you reach the finishing line you cannot see if it has been a success or not.
"It is like a marathon runner who has a great time at kilometre 40, and stops and starts to walk. This is the decisive stage for almost all the teams, and they all have their goals within reach."
Tuesday's 6-0 hammering of Getafe at the Camp Nou has led even the most sceptical pundits to praise Luis Enrique's team, though he said it was late for anyone to realise how well the team had been playing all season.
"I do not have the sense that the team is coming good now," he said. "Over the season we have had situations favourable and less favourable, but we have kept to a logical process.
"If people had to wait for a 6-0 to have confidence in the team, well really... The team have shown from the start of the season that they are a sound team. I am optimistic, of course."
Some rotation is likely for the Cordoba game given Wednesday's looming European challenge. Luis Enrique has a full squad to choose from, with left-back Jordi Alba back from suspension, and no new injury concerns.
Superstar front three Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and Messi -- who have already scored 102 goals between this season -- nevertheless look likely to keep their places in attack, a situation which Luis Enrique admitted was not so easy for back-up players such as winger Pedro Rodriguez to accept.
"Reaching this moment I understand all the personal situations, but we must focus on the team and on reaching our goals," he said. "At the end of the season we will look at the situation of each individual. Pedro is a top player, and has always helped us, on and off the pitch."
Cordoba have not scored in any of their last four outings and could be mathematically assured of relegation by Saturday evening, but Luis Enrique said his players would approach this game the same as any other.
"They are in a difficult situation," he added. "We go into the game the same as always, not thinking about the opponent's place in the table.
"The obligations on everyone are huge, as there are just four games remaining. These are key points for the championship."