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Another big weekend in LaLiga as top four all face tough games

Source: Xinhua   2017-02-23 19:31:43

MADIRD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Matchday 24 in the Spanish Liga Santander promises to once again complicate matters at the top of the table as Barcelona travel to fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, Sevilla play in Spain's bitterest local derby and Real Madrid visit Villarreal, the side with the tightest defense in the league.

Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Valencia on Wednesday night gave Barcelona, Sevilla and even Atletico a ray of hope that the race for the title is not yet finished, but before they can start celebrating, they will have to overcome difficult matches themselves.

Sevilla, who defeated Leicester City 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, have little recovery time before they face Betis on Saturday afternoon.

Betis are unbeaten in six games at home since Victor Sanchez replaced Gustavo Poyet and will be hyped up for the match against their traditional rivals, especially as their last game saw them slide to a tame 4-1 defeat away to struggling Granada.

Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli will make rotations in attack with Fran Vazquez coming into the side and hope that Nico Pareja is available again after injury.

Barcelona have to wait until their Sunday trip to the Vicente Calderon where they will face fourth placed Atletico Madrid, who are euphoric after their 4-2 win against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek.

Barca recently knocked Atletico out of the King's Cup, but not before Diego Simeone's side gave them a huge scare in the Camp Nou and memories of how Barca struggled at home to Leganes last weekend are still clear in the minds of Barca fans.

Nevertheless, if Barca can up their game a win in the Calderon would see them leapfrog Real Madrid in the table, albeit for a few hours, and that would transfer all of the pressure to Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane's side return to the east coast to face Villarreal and although their rivals have a Europe League game in Rome on Thursday, the fact they lost the first leg 4-0 implies they will rest key players to reserve them for the weekend.

Villarreal held Madrid to a 0-0 draw in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium earlier this season, highlighting that they have the tightest defense in the league with just 15 goals conceded all campaign.

Madrid meanwhile looked slightly tired in Valencia and players such as Rafael Varene could well be due for a rest.

Elsewhere the weekend kicks off with fifth placed Real Sociedad away to a Las Palmas side that has run out of gas of late.

Valencia will find their euphoria over consecutive wins tested on a trip to Vitoria to face a rugged Alaves and there is a key battle just above the relegation zone between Leganes and Deportivo la Coruna, neither of whom can afford to slip up.

Eibar play Malaga on Saturday night before Espanyol will expect to defeat Osasuna on Sunday lunchtime.

Athletic Club Bilbao without strikers Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia entertain an improving Granada afterwards and Sporting Gijon hope to continue their recovery at home to Celta Vigo before all eyes turn to Villarreal for the last and arguably most important game of the weekend.

Editor: Tian Shaohui
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Another big weekend in LaLiga as top four all face tough games

Source: Xinhua 2017-02-23 19:31:43
[Editor: huaxia]

MADIRD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Matchday 24 in the Spanish Liga Santander promises to once again complicate matters at the top of the table as Barcelona travel to fourth-placed Atletico Madrid, Sevilla play in Spain's bitterest local derby and Real Madrid visit Villarreal, the side with the tightest defense in the league.

Real Madrid's 2-1 defeat to Valencia on Wednesday night gave Barcelona, Sevilla and even Atletico a ray of hope that the race for the title is not yet finished, but before they can start celebrating, they will have to overcome difficult matches themselves.

Sevilla, who defeated Leicester City 2-1 in the Champions League on Wednesday, have little recovery time before they face Betis on Saturday afternoon.

Betis are unbeaten in six games at home since Victor Sanchez replaced Gustavo Poyet and will be hyped up for the match against their traditional rivals, especially as their last game saw them slide to a tame 4-1 defeat away to struggling Granada.

Sevilla boss Jorge Sampaoli will make rotations in attack with Fran Vazquez coming into the side and hope that Nico Pareja is available again after injury.

Barcelona have to wait until their Sunday trip to the Vicente Calderon where they will face fourth placed Atletico Madrid, who are euphoric after their 4-2 win against Bayer Leverkusen in midweek.

Barca recently knocked Atletico out of the King's Cup, but not before Diego Simeone's side gave them a huge scare in the Camp Nou and memories of how Barca struggled at home to Leganes last weekend are still clear in the minds of Barca fans.

Nevertheless, if Barca can up their game a win in the Calderon would see them leapfrog Real Madrid in the table, albeit for a few hours, and that would transfer all of the pressure to Real Madrid.

Zinedine Zidane's side return to the east coast to face Villarreal and although their rivals have a Europe League game in Rome on Thursday, the fact they lost the first leg 4-0 implies they will rest key players to reserve them for the weekend.

Villarreal held Madrid to a 0-0 draw in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium earlier this season, highlighting that they have the tightest defense in the league with just 15 goals conceded all campaign.

Madrid meanwhile looked slightly tired in Valencia and players such as Rafael Varene could well be due for a rest.

Elsewhere the weekend kicks off with fifth placed Real Sociedad away to a Las Palmas side that has run out of gas of late.

Valencia will find their euphoria over consecutive wins tested on a trip to Vitoria to face a rugged Alaves and there is a key battle just above the relegation zone between Leganes and Deportivo la Coruna, neither of whom can afford to slip up.

Eibar play Malaga on Saturday night before Espanyol will expect to defeat Osasuna on Sunday lunchtime.

Athletic Club Bilbao without strikers Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia entertain an improving Granada afterwards and Sporting Gijon hope to continue their recovery at home to Celta Vigo before all eyes turn to Villarreal for the last and arguably most important game of the weekend.

[Editor: huaxia]
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