La Liga Weekend Preview: Round 9

1 Nov 2008 (all times local)
20:00 Málaga - Barcelona
20:00 Athletic - Villarreal
20:00 At. Madrid - Mallorca
22:00 Valencia - Racing
2 Nov 2008
17:00 Recreativo - Getafe
17:00 Valladolid - Sevilla
17:00 Espanyol - Osasuna
17:00 Sporting - Numancia
19:00 Almería - R. Madrid
21:00 Betis - Deportivo

Málaga - FC Barcelona

Kicking off the weekend are on-form Málaga and Barcelona, both of whom are in the European places as things stand.

The boquerones started the season in relegation form but have since racked up four straight Liga wins to propel them to sixth in the table.

The blaugrana, of course, are on an even better run of victories, but coming up against another in-form side they must be careful. An away win at Benidorm midweek in the Copa has rasied spirits for this game.

Athletic Club Bilbao - Villarreal

Villarreal's own Copa adventures went just a bit differently. Fielding a rotated side at lowly Poli Ejido, the Yellow Submarine ended up losing by five goals to nil.

That is an outright humiliation for a club of Villarreal's stature, and thus one can expect coach Manuel Pellegrini to ring the changes for the long journey north.

The Basque outfit are in the relegation mire, but at least their midweek went well with a 2-0 victory against Recreativo.

Atlético Madrid - RCD Mallorca

Inconsistent Mallorca will seek to build on their midweek draw and weekend win as they journey to the Vicente Calderón.

Atleti's winless run ended with victory over minnows Orihuela midweek in the Copa del Rey, but their mid-table place in the Liga remains a worry.

Ever Banega is suspended for the visit of Mallorca, who have scored just twice away from home all season in the Primera.

Valencia - Real Racing Club

Table-topping Valencia are in with a great chance of maintaining their lead as Racing come to town.

The Santander side lost out yet again midweek as Segunda strugglers Murcia defeated them 2-1 down south.

Los Che, of course, eased past Portugalete as coach Unai Emery's amazing unbeaten run continues.

Recreativo Huelva - Getafe

Two of the Liga's smaller sides, who are tipped to be embroiled in a relegation battle, go face-to-face in Andalucia.

In fact this is a happy hunting ground for the Azulones, who have won both of the sides' top flight meetings here.

Of course things were a bit more even back in the Segunda, but it's changed days since then...

Real Valladolid - Sevilla FC

Valladolid welcome Sevilla to the heartland for a game that cannot be clearly predicted.

While the high-flying rojiblancos are the favourites on paper, they are stricken by injuries, not to mention humiliation after losing 1-0 in Ponferrada in the Copa midweek.

The Pucela managed to thrash Hércules 5-0 over in Alicante in their own Cup adventure, and remain a force to be reckoned with at home.

RCD Espanyol - CA Osasuna

Next up basement boys Osasuna - the only winless side left in the Liga - will look to build on their midweek draw at Getafe away to Espanyol.

Osasuna actually have a decent record at Montjuïc; since the turn of the century they have lost just once here in eight games, winning half the fixtures.

The Perequitos have toiled at home this season, scoring just three times, and shipping two goals away to Celta midweek will hardly raise the spirits.

Real Sporting Gijón - CD Numancia

It's time for the second act of a three-part special. The newly-promoted pair met midweek in the Copa in Soria, where Sporting edged out 1-0 winners, and now they meet in the Liga.

In last year's Segunda campaign Sporting won this fixture 1-0, and also managed a victory at the Pajaritos by two goals to nil.

As such the struggling visitors, who only just managed to pick up their second win of the campaign last week against Racing, had best have their wits about them.

UD Almería - Real Madrid

Real Madrid came a cropper in Almería last season, and having lost out to Real Unión midweek they need to show the utmost care this time.

It's true that the rojiblancos have faltered a bit in the Liga of late, but a 2-1 win at Rayo Vallecano midweek has redressed the balance.

The blancos, meanwhile, remain level on points with Barcelona, but they are looking increasingly shaky at the back.

Real Betis Balompié - Deportivo La Coruña

Finally Betis will seek to continue their recovery as deflated Depor visit the deep south.

The veridblancos are on a run of three straight wins, capped off with an efficient 2-0 victory at Castellón midweek.

The Riazor men, on the other hand, have only just overturned a three game winless streak by defeating Elche away from home. In the Liga they have neither scored nor won since October 5th.


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