MADRID, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Saturday's fixtures give Atletico Madrid the chance to make up for the midweek Copa del Rey humiliation as Quique Sanchez Flores' side travels to Valladolid.

    Atletico was thrashed 3-0 away to second division Recreativo Huelva on Wednesday night, prompting a furious reaction from the coach.

    Quique openly criticized his players and punished them on Thursday with a tough training session in the snow. Saturday's team will certainly see various changes to the starting line up.

    Valladolid will provide a stern test and even more so in the freezing conditions that currently envelop central Spain.

    Alberto Bueno will continue in attack as Jose Mendilibar's side look for a win that will lift them further away from the danger zone near the bottom of the table.

    Sevilla is another side in need of a win. Manolo Jimenez's side may have carried off a shock triumph away to Barcelona in the Copa, but is in a poor run in the Primera Liga.

    Last Saturday's defeat in the Vicente Calderon away to Atletico took Jimenez's side out of the top four and now a home win against Racing Santander is vital.

    Sevilla is handicapped by injury to striker Luis Fabiano, while Freddy Kanoute and Didier Zokora are away on African Nations Cup duty.

    Saturday's final game sees an in form Villarreal entertain Almeria. Almeria may have won its first game under new coach Juanma Lillo last weekend, but didn't play well and still looks a relegation candidate.

    Villarreal meanwhile is improving all of the time. Last Saturday Ernesto Valverde's side was unlucky to only draw 1-1 away to Barcelona and has taken 10 points from the last 12.

    Anything other than a home win would be a big surprise in the el Madrigal Stadium.