MADRID, Nov. 21 (Xinhua) -- Real Madrid coach Bernd
Schuster will again be in the spotlight as his side open up match day 12 in
Spain at home to Recreativo Huelva on Saturday night.
Although Schuster was given a tepid vote of confidence by Real Madrid's Director of Sport Pedja Mijatovic following last weekend's defeat to Valladolid, Mijatovic added that he could not say what would happen should Madrid fail to beat a Recreativo side in the relegation zone.
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Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster looks on during their Spanish First Division soccer match against Valladolid at Zorrilla stadium in Valladolid November 15, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>> |
There will be a tense atmosphere in the Santiago
Bernabeu stadium, while Schuster is without key players Arjen Robben, Gabriel
Heinze and Ruud Van Nistelrooy.
League leader Barcelona does not play until Sunday
evening. PepGuardiola's side is clear favorite to take an easy win against a
side who are in danger of being thrown into a relegation fight.
Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o will be looking to add
to his total of 13 league goals, 11 of which he has scored in the Camp Nou
stadium.
Villarreal meanwhile aims to keep the pressure on
Barcelona when they play Valladolid. However, Manuel Pellegrini's team will have
one eye on next week's Champions League tie against Manchester United and is
without striker Joseba Llorente due to his torn hamstring.
Sevilla and Valencia also test each other's title
credentials on Saturday night as they go head to head in the Sanchez Pizjuan
stadium. Sevilla look to have got over a recent dip in form with the return of
strikers Freddy Kanoute and Luis Fabiano, while Valencia looks to recover after
a 3-2 home defeat to Sporting Gijon last Sunday.
At the bottom of the table, Osasuna desperately needs
their first win of the season when they entertain Almeria. Jose Antonio
Camacho's side have only scored three goals all campaign and failure to win
would see them falling adrift in last place.
Deportivo La Coruna hopes to bounce back from a 4-1
setback in the Vicente Calderon against Athletic Club Bilbao. Former
Athleticgoalkeeper Dani Aranzubia is certain to be out to impress against his
former club, while Athletic, currently third from bottom, has to build on run of
four points from two games.
Sporting Gijon and Betis each look to continue their
recent form in the El Molinon stadium in Gijon. Sporting has won five of their
last six games and are in the top half of the table, while Betis have also made
steady progress following a poor start.
Racing Santander faces Espanyol with the visitors in
freefall following a home defeat to Numancia and their coach Tintin Marquezcould
lose his job if his side lose again.
Finally Mallorca entertain a Malaga side that has
taken just one point from three games, although that was a creditable draw
against Villarreal.