PREVIEW-Soccer-Sevilla and Atletico to fight out "seven-pointer"

By Mark Elkington

MADRID, March 20 (Reuters) - Atletico Madrid and Sevilla are battling it out for a Champions League place for next season and can take a big step towards that goal with a victory in the Sanchez Pizjuan on Saturday.

The Primera Liga's fourth-placed side Atletico, with 47 points, are two ahead of Sevilla in fifth, and also have the edge in meetings between them having won a 4-3 thriller at the Calderon back in October.

If the sides finish level on points in May the head-to-heads come into play and that makes Saturday's game even more important, Sevilla's sports director Ramon "Monchi" Rodriguez said.

"I would say it is a seven-pointer. The three you win, the three you take off the other side and one more for the goal average," he told the club's Web site (www.sevillafc.es).

"A victory would give us confidence but also fire out a warning to our rivals that we are in the mix as well."

The encounter pitches two of the La Liga's most exciting forward lines against each other. Sevilla boast the league's top scorer in Brazilian Luis Fabiano (22 goals) and Mali's Frederic Kanoute (10).

Atletico have in-form duo Diego Forlan of Uruguay (13) and Sergio Aguero of Argentina (11).

STRUGGLING FOR FORM