La Liga Fixtures 2017 Week 35: Schedule, Live-Stream Info, Picks and Key Players

Real Madrid and Barcelona face another big test in Week 35 of the 2016-17 La Liga campaign, as the title fight drags on into the final weeks of the season.

The Catalans visit Espanyol in a local derby, while Los Blancos play host to a streaky but talented Valencia side. Both title challengers are favourites in their fixtures, but they will have to be careful.

Here's a look at the schedule for Week 35, complete with live stream info and picks.

Date	Home	Away	Live Stream	Pick
Friday, April 28	Villarreal	Sporting Gijon	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Villarreal
Saturday, April 29	Real Sociedad	Granada	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Sociedad
Saturday, April 29	Real Madrid	Valencia	BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Real
Saturday, April 29	Las Palmas	Atletico Madrid	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Draw
Saturday, April 29	Espanyol	Barcelona	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Barcelona
Sunday, April 30	Osasuna	Deportivo	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Deportivo
Sunday, April 30	Real Betis	Alaves	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Draw
Sunday, April 30	Eibar	Leganes	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Eibar
Sunday, April 30	Celta Vigo	Athletic	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Athletic
Monday, May 1	Malaga	Sevilla	Sky Go (UK), BeIN Sports Connect (U.S.)	Sevilla

To access Sky Go, click here. For BeIN Sports Connect, click here.

Here are a few key players to keep an eye on:

Toni Kroos, Real Madrid

Valencia's recent defensive record hasn't been great, but Eliaquim Mangala's likely return from injury should give the visitors a major boost at the back, per WhoScored.com.

Dani Parejo is also in line to return, and Real fans don't need to be reminded how he has a tendency to do play up to Los Blancos' level.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Real have a ton of attacking talent, but consistency has been an issue at times this season. When they're on form, the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema can explode in a matter of minutes, but there are also times when the forwards just can't seem to get things going.

Fortunately, playmaker Toni Kroos has both the eye and passing ability to unlock even the best defence while simultaneously taking care of his defensive duties.

Per Squawka News, he should be well-rested after he was omitted for Real's last match:

The battle between Parejo and Kroos on Saturday should be a good one and could play a decisive factor in this match.

Lionel Messi, Barcelona

Lionel Messi can be called a key player for the Blaugrana every week, but going into Saturday's derby match against Espanyol, he's more pivotal than ever.

LLUIS GENE/Getty Images

For starters, the hosts have been remarkably solid defensively of late. Espanyol haven't conceded more than a single goal in four straight La Liga matches and do a fantastic job of frustrating opponents. Atletico Madrid managed a 1-0 win at the RCDE Stadium recently, but the Los Rojiblancos had to dig deep.

There's also the simple fact Messi tends to play some of his best football against Espanyol. Here's a reminder of just how good he was when the two teams met in December:

Messi was Barcelona's main source of creativity in the lost UEFA Champions League tie against Juventus, and he's been the catalyst behind the attack for most of the season.

The squad's overreliance on the Argentinian isn't healthy, but with just a few weeks of football left, it's too late to change anything.

Espanyol would love nothing more than to ruin Barcelona's title chances, and Messi will play a key role in making sure the Blaugrana don't falter against their rivals.