Friday 22 / November / 2024
MADRID: Football returns to Spain at the weekend with the 14th round of matches in La Liga, which sees three derbies, while FC Barcelona faces a tricky trip to the northwest of the country.
The league leader suffered their second defeat of the season on the eve of the break as they went to a 1-0 defeat away to Real Sociedad and now has to visit a Celta Vigo side capable of scoring goals, with veteran striker Iago Aspae leading their attack.
Barca coach Hansi Flick lost Ansu Fati with a hamstring injury in a training session during the break, and he joins the long-term absentees Andreas Christensen, Marc Andre Ter Stegen and Ronald Araujo on the sidelines.
The good news for Barcelona is that slight knocks stopped Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski from going on international duty, but both should be fully fit and also well-rested for Sunday.
Real Madrid makes the short trip to Leganes on Sunday, looking to keep the pressure on at the top of the table.
Injuries to Dani Carvajal and Lucas Vazquez mean that Carlo Ancelotti is without a specialist right-back, while Eder Militao and David Alaba are long term absentees in central defense, with a doubt over the fitness of Aurelien Tchouameni gives the coach a big problem at the back.
Forward Rodrgyo is also sidelined for Madrid, meaning that Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr will lead the Madrid attack.
Things get underway with a vital game in the relegation zone as Getafe takes on Valladolid, with both coaches under pressure in the case of a defeat.
There is likely to be an emotional afternoon at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium on Saturday lunchtime as football returns to the city for the first time after the floods which claimed over 200 lives at the end of October.
Atletico Madrid entertains an Alaves struggling for consistency after a good start to the campaign, while there is also a Catalan derby as Girona faces Espanyol.
Girona is still handicapped by a list of absentees that includes midfielders Yangel Herrera and Ivan Martin, while forward Arnaut Danjuma is also missing against a rival that is also in the bottom three.
Two island sides face off with Las Palmas entertaining Mallorca and the home side aiming to keep up the form that has seen it win three of its four matches since the arrival of new coach Diego Martinez.
Third place Villarreal has a tough visit to Pamplona to face Osasuna, with coach Marcelino Garcia Toral hoping the pace of Ayoze Perez can be decisive as it has been several times already this season.
Sunday ends with the Basque derby between Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad in the San Mames Stadium with Athletic looking to keep up their solid home form against one of the best visitors this season.
Athletic will have benefitted from a weekend's rest and should have Inaki Williams and Oihan Sancet back after injury against a side that has to play a Copa del Rey tie on Thursday night.
The derby is always played in a spectacular atmosphere and is a fitting end to the weekend.
