Barcelona vs. Athletic
Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid
Villarreal vs. Espanyol
Recreativo vs. Valladolid
Mallorca vs. Real Betis
Osasuna vs. Sporting
Deportivo vs. Racing
Numancia vs. Valencia
Sevilla vs. Almeria
Getafe vs. Malaga
And so to another high-octane weekend in La Liga, but one that is perhaps overshadowed for the bigger sides by crucial matches in Europe this coming week. Juande Ramos is expected to rest or use sparingly a number of his top players despite the big occasion of a Derbi Madrileño. Pepe and Sneijder are suspended, while Guti and Robben will only play bit-parts. For Abel Resino, he must do without Raul Garcia but elsewhere things are expected to stay unchanged from the side that sensationally beat Barcelona last weekend. Atletico Madrid have not won a derby in living memory and despite last week’s result, they should revert to type against an extraordinarily disciplined and focused El Real.
Pep Guardiola managed to exorcise some demons with aggregate victory at Mallorca in the Copa Del Rey midweek, which sees Barcelona through to the final against Athletic. Curiously enough, it is the Basques who visit the Nou Camp in the weekend’s first fixture. Barcelona are wobbling, of that there is no doubt – a 12 point lead reduced to four, without a win in four in all competitions, their worst run of the season. Joaquin Caparros’s men are on a similar trot of four league matches without a win but fairly brushed aside Sevilla in the cup so will be full of confidence. Expect Guardiola to rotate the team with the Lyon game in mind.
Completing Saturday’s line-up is Espanyol’s trip to Villarreal. Los Pericos are still deeply ensconced in the relegation battle despite the derby win two weeks ago, and are six points from safety. They’ve collected two wins away from home all season, while the hosts are in better nick, unbeaten in five in all competitions. Joseba Llorente is back, which is crucial – he shoulders the goalscoring burden alongside Giuseppe Rossi.
On Sunday Sevilla host Almeria, who are showing themselves to be feisty competitors under Hugo Sanchez – two defeats in nine for them. Sevilla are formidable also, with the best defence in La Liga and Fredi Kanoute showing his class recently. However, it remains to be seen how the cup loss in Bilbao has affected them – it may act to their advantage, focusing their minds on a top four position. Valencia, whose off-the-field woes continue and future looks bleaker by the week, face the morale-boosting prospect of a visit to Numancia, who stand about as much chance of escaping relegation as Zurich has of suffering a tidal wave.
The other two Champions League chasers, Malaga and Deportivo, will both be targeting wins at bottom half clubs. Malaga were well beaten by Recreativo last week in a surprise result, and Getafe have proved stubborn drawing 4 of their last 5, but Tapia’s men should still prove the stronger. Depor host Racing, whose recent indifferent form has extinguished their UEFA Cup hopes but who have fared much better away from home. Racing have suffered following the sale of the talismanic Cesar Navas and just need to rediscover their touch.
At the bottom, Recreativo can better their four point cushion over the bottom three with a win over Valladolid – and with the form Javier Camunas is in, who would bet against them? There’s a crucial game at the Reyno de Navarra as Sporting visit Osasuna. Camacho’s men are unbeaten in six whilst Sporting continue to slide, having gone without a win in four. Mallorca and Real Betis meet at the ONO Estadi, where only goal difference separates the two, hovering above the trap door.
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