La Liga Weekend Preview: Round 23
Saturday 9 February 2008 (all times local)
20:00 Real Murcia - Villarreal
20:00 Deportivo - Getafe
22:00 Sevilla - Barcelona
Sunday 10 February
17:00 Osasuna - Zaragoza
17:00 Athletic - Levante
17:00 Racing - Atletico Madrid
17:00 Mallorca - Almeria
17:00 Espanyol - Recreativo
19:00 Real Madrid - Valladolid
21:00 Valencia - Betis
Real Murcia - Villarreal CF
Murcia will look to stymie yet another European challenge to kick off the weekend. Their 1-1 draw at Atletico last Sunday dented the rojiblancos' Champions League hopes severely; they may yet do the same against Villarreal.
Of course, Lucas Alcaraz's men have problems of their own. They're now in the relegation zone, albeit on goal difference, and need to add to their tally of four home league wins soon.
Villarreal, meanwhile, were themselves held by Mallorca last weekend, meaning that they've taken one point from the last six - something that coach Pellegrini is determined to turn around.
Deportivo La Coruña - Getafe CF
Depor, meanwhile, have taken six from six, lifting them out of the dropzone.
Miguel Angel Lotina has thus saved his job for the time being, but the old campaigner is wily enough to know that the struggle has only just begun: a defeat to Getafe could see his side right back in the relegation mix.
The Azulones, meanwhile, dominated possession but failed to take their chances at home to Espanyol last week, and are now just four points clear of the relegation mire themselves.
Coach Laudrup left that game fuming with his side's wastefulness and the referee's performance; he'll look for a goal here, rather than a repeat of the 0-0 draw earlier in the season.
Sevilla FC - FC Barcelona
As Saturday night clashes go, this one's pretty appealing. The Andalucians will seek to exact revenge - and continue their latent Champions League campaign - against a Barcelona side with everything to lose.
The blaugrana cut the deficit to six points at the top with a hard-fought win over Osasuna, and will now return to a ground where, despite achieving some Copa joy this season, they have lost twice in the last two Liga seasons.
That will please the Nervion men, who themselves seemingly have more to lose than to gain. After a tough start to winter, they are just starting to find their feet again, pulling to within two points of the UEFA Cup zone. One defeat, however, could set them back quite a distance.
CA Osasuna - Real Zaragoza
Osasuna, meanwhile, are still out of the dropzone, albeit on mere goal difference, lending this ersatz derby with Zaragoza a sense of real urgency.
However, well over half of the rojillos' goals have come at home, with mid-table Zaragoza managing just nine on their travels, which will also give the hosts a feeling of confidence.
Still, the blanquillos have begun to steady the ship under Javier Irureta, with the new boss continuing Ander Garitano's fine work to make it four games unbeaten.
Indeed, they managed a win against Athletic Bilbao last week, so they'll now hope for more successes on the fringes of the Basque country.
Athletic Club Bilbao - Levante UD
The Lions themselves, then, are another one of those clubs on 23 points, with just goal difference keeping them safe.
Athletic have recently been hit by disciplinary issues, and no sooner than three players are suspended for this one. Aitor Ocio and Koikili will miss out in defence, while young winger Markel Susaeta is also sanctioned.
Levante have Juanma out after his own indiscretions, but remain high on confidence - after all, they've now gone three games unbeaten, losing only to Real Madrid in La Liga since the new year.
But with ten points still separating them from 18th place, this is the kind of game that they cannot afford to lose.
Real Racing Club - Club Atlético de Madrid
Racing, meanwhile, are still performing with admirable gumption, sitting just inside the Eurozone.
They also have a Copa del Rey semi-final to look forward to, although coach Marcelino will surely not allow this to distract them from the Liga.
Atleti, meanwhile, have hit the rocks of late and are in severe danger of falling out of contention for a Champions League spot.
Players and staff alike have been queuing up to tell the press this week that confidence is high and there is no crisis, but what would help more than rhetoric is a win. At the Sardinero, such an outcome is never guaranteed.
RCD Mallorca - UD Almería
Mallorca are firmly mid-table for the time being, but are still in danger of falling back into the relegation mire.
However, it was around this time last season that they began their fine run of form that continued essentially until the campaign's end, and they'll look for more of the same now.
In order to do so, though, they must overcome an Almeria side that could scarcely be higher on confidence.
The Mediterraneo men pulled off a stunning 2-0 win over Real Madrid last week in what was the capital side's third defeat of the season.
Thus they're just two points off a UEFA Cup place in what has been so far a quite incredible debut season.
RCD Espanyol - Recreativo de Huelva
Espanyol got back to winning ways last week at Getafe, but it was a hard-fought win, and one which many may feel that they ill-deserved.
Still, they're in the Champions League spots, and have a superb chance to build on that result last week against Recre.
The Huelva men dispensed with the services of Victor Munoz last week, with Manolo Zambrano inheriting a relegation-threatened squad currently decimated by injury.
However, nothing shocks the system like a new manager, and several players will be out to impress in Montjuic...
Real Madrid - Real Valladolid
Madrid, meanwhile, are nursing their wounds after that defeat in Almeria, and now face another of the newly-promoted sides as they look to get back on track.
The Pucela, of course, managed a 1-1 draw with the capital giants earlier in the season, and will look to kill the giant yet again.
However, Madrid have won every single one of their home games so far, scoring 26 times. Valladolid, meanwhile, lost at home to Valencia - the first team to do so this year - and could be higher on confidence.
Valencia CF - Real Betis Balompié
Valencia, then, finally got that away-win monkey off their backs, and it's time for Ronald Koeman's men to build on it.
Los Che regard a home match with Betis as cause for celebration: it's been over 20 years since they dropped three home points to the Beticos in the Liga, and indeed they've won eight of their last nine meetings at the Mestalla.
Still, things are different this season, and Betis are beginning to show signs of recovery under new coach Paco Chaparro.
A win here will put the verdiblancos within two points of Los Che, and more importantly it'll ease their relegation woes significantly.
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