0 Comment(s)
Print
E-mail Xinhua, December 13, 2024
The top three sides in La Liga all play rivals in the bottom half of the table in the 17th round of games in Spain this weekend.
Hansi Flick will have to watch from the sidelines as league leader FC Barcelona entertains a solid but limited Leganes side to bring the weekend to a close on Sunday, after the German was given a two-game ban for his sending off as Barca was held 2-2 away to Real Betis last weekend.
That draw means Barca has taken just five points from its last five matches in La Liga, and could be without the influential Raphinha after he had to leave the pitch during their 3-2 win away to Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday. The good news is that central defender Ronald Araujo has been passed fit after his long-term muscle injury, and could play some part on Sunday.
Alexander Sorloth (L) of Atletico de Madrid competes during the UEFA Champions League match between Atletico de Madrid and Slovan Bratislava in Madrid, Spain, on Dec. 11, 2024. (Photo by Gustavo Valiente/Xinhua)
Recent domestic slip-ups by Barca mean that Real Madrid could overtake it in the standings if Los Blancos win their match away to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday afternoon.
Madrid's morale received an important lift on Tuesday as it won a vital Champions League match against Atalanta, which was partly inspired by Vinicius Jr's return to the side, the continued good form of Jude Bellingham and a goal from Kylian Mbappe.
Mbappe had to leave the pitch with an apparent hamstring injury on Tuesday, and whatever the test results on that injury, Carlo Ancelotti is unlikely to risk him, with the Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar on December 18 in mind.
Atletico Madrid will also go level on points with Barca if it wins a home derby with Getafe on Sunday lunchtime.
Diego Simeone's side has clicked in recent games, with Antoine Griezmann and Julian Alvarez starting to form a dangerous pairing in attack, while Rodrigo de Paul is in arguably his best form since joining the club.
Few teams in Europe are in better form at the moment than Athletic Bilbao, with a six-point cushion in fourth place and 16 points from a possible 18 in the UEFA Europa League after six consecutive wins in all competitions.
Athletic coach Ernesto Valverde will probably be without Nico Williams who suffered a knee injury for the short trip to play Alaves in a Basque derby, but he will continue the policy of squad rotation that has worked so well this campaign.
The weekend kicks off with a dramatic clash between bottom side Real Valladolid and second-from-bottom Valencia, with Valencia coach Ruben Baraja facing the sack with anything other than a win.
An improving Sevilla entertains Celta Vigo in what promises to be an open game between the two sides that like to play attacking football, and Sevilla will be boosted by the return of Saul Niguez in midfield.
Two draws and a defeat have seen Villarreal slip to fifth, but Gerard Moreno and Ayoze Perez are now fully fit for a home game against Betis, who has not won any of its last five league games, and has a long return from Moldova after playing in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday night.
The remaining match this weekend sees two upwardly mobile teams go head-to-head in San Sebastian, with Real Sociedad at home to Las Palmas. Real Sociedad has climbed to sixth with four wins in the last five games, while Diego Martinez has worked a miracle at Las Palmas with five wins from his seven league games in charge, lifting the team from rock bottom to 14th, five points above the drop zone.
