But there could be a danger of too much too soon, not least because it remains to be seen whether this group of players are even suited or capable of playing the football to which Setien is so devoted.

He has already shown faith in youth but Riqui Puig’s excellent showing off the bench against Granada preceded a dip against Ibiza, where he was at fault for the goal and taken off in the second half.

Valencia, sitting seventh, have won only two of their last six but the game at Mestalla will provide a better gauge of where Setien’s Barcelona are ahead of an important few weeks.

They play Napoli away in the Champions League next month before facing Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu on March 1.

Madrid have looked the sturdier proposition for a few weeks but have been unable to pull away, instead sitting level on points with Barca at the top of La Liga and below them on goal difference.

Zinedine Zidane’s team are 18 games unbeaten, a streak they will be confident of extending on Sunday against a Real Valladolid side that have won only once in 11.

“We don’t have to change anything, we just have to keep going,” Zidane said last week.

They may again be without Gareth Bale, who went off with an ankle injury after scoring in Madrid’s Copa del Rey victory over Unionistas de Salamanca on Wednesday.

“He sprained his ankle a little,” said Zidane. “I don’t think it’s much but we’ll see.”

Atletico Madrid’s pursuit of Edinson Cavani will likely come too late for their own title challenge, even if they can persuade Paris Saint-Germain to part with the 32-year-old striker this month.

Eight points is now the gap between them and the top two, and Cavani could certainly alleviate their problems in front of goal.

Atletico host struggling Leganes on Sunday while Sevilla, in fourth, play at home on Saturday against Granada.

Atletico could do with a win after being shocked 2-1 by third division CD Leonesa in the Spanish Copa del Rey on Thursday.

Fixtures (times GMT)

Friday

Osasuna v Levante (8pm)

Saturday

Espanyol v Athletic Bilbao (12pm), Valencia v Barcelona (3pm), Alaves v Villarreal (5.30pm), Sevilla v Granada (8pm

Sunday

Atletico Madrid v Leganes (11am), Celta Vigo v Eibar (1pm), Getafe v Real Betis (3pm), Real Sociedad v Mallorca (5.30pm), Real Valladolid v Real Madrid (8pm)