Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde wants his team to keep their run going after they set a record of 39 consecutive games unbeaten in the Primera Liga with a 2-1 victory against Valencia on Saturday.
Philippe Coutinho set up goals for Luis Suarez and Samuel Umtiti as the league leaders reached the milestone.
Barcelona have now beaten the run achieved by Real Sociedad back in the 1978-79 and 1979-80 seasons.
Dani Parejo's late penalty made for a nervy finish at the Nou Camp but Valverde's side bounced back from their surprise Champions League exit at Roma in midweek to strengthen their grip on the title .
"This was a red-letter day for us. It was essential to take this major step forward. To win it we needed heart out there on the pitch and to take the initiative with the ball," Valverde said on the club's official website.
"These are three golden points, and now we only need seven to clinch the Liga title. We were able to regroup this week. And now we have the chance to win the Copa del Rey, and that's another trophy that means a lot to us.
"The unbeaten record is nice but the more important thing is that we have carried on winning."
Valverde admitted the win, against a Valencia side who had won their last five league matches, was needed to help ease the disappointment of what happened in Rome - where Barcelona lost 3-0 and went out of the Uefa Champions League on away goals after winning the first leg of their semi-final tie 4-1 at home.
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"It was three important points really, for a lot of reasons," said Valverde. "First of all, because of the week we've had. The atmosphere around the club this week has been a bit gloomy and we needed to put the brakes on that.
"It was more important that we picked ourselves up after a difficult week and the players have showed great attitude today and stepped up.
"We have to look forward now. Obviously we are coming off the back of going out of a competition but we've still got a lot of things to win."
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AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
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Transmission: 10-speed automatic
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
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Director: Jared Hess
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ICC T20 Rankings
1. India - 270 ranking points
2. England - 265 points
3. Pakistan - 261 points
4. South Africa - 253 points
5. Australia - 251 points
6. New Zealand - 250 points
7. West Indies - 240 points
8. Bangladesh - 233 points
9. Sri Lanka - 230 points
10. Afghanistan - 226 points
Other key dates
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Finals draw: December 2
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Finals (including semi-finals and third-placed game): June 5–9, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-off draw: November 22, 2019
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Euro 2020 play-offs: March 26–31, 2020
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
