MADRID, May 12 (Xinhua) -- Sunday sees the penultimate round of games in Spain with the seven matches in the Liga Santander all kicking off at the same time in the evening with the title, Europe and relegation issues still to be decided. Here are four things to look for at 8pm local time on Sunday night.
1) Can Sevilla pull off a surprise at the Bernabeu?
Real Madrid know that if they can win two and draw one of their remaining three matches they will be champions. Sunday is Madrid's last home game of the campaign with fourth placed Sevilla the visitors.
Jorge Sampaoli's side claimed a thrilling win against Madrid in Sevilla, but has gone off the boil of late with the players looking to be both physically and mentally jaded, while Pablo Sarabia is suspended for the trip to his former club.
Sevilla do have the talent to surprise Madrid if their hearts are in it, but with their chances of third place all but evaporated, the issue will be in whether or not the Argentinean coach, who looks certain to abandon the club at the end of the season, will be able to get one last effort from his side.
2) Will Zidane dare use 'Plan-B'?
Wednesday night saw Real Madrid book their place in the Champions League final following a tough encounter away to local rivals Atletico Madrid. As expected Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane played his strongest starting 11. Now five days later his side has another key game with the league title at stake.
Recent weeks have seen Zidane adopt, what has become known as 'Plan-B', including players such as Alvaro Morata, Marcos Asensio, Mateo Kovacic, Lucas Vazquez, Nacho Fernandez and James Rodrguez in order to rest his first choice players and with a vital game away to Celta Vigo next Wednesday, there is still no let up for his side.
Plan-B has worked perfectly whenever given a chance, indeed some have argued they have played better than the 'first 11', but with the title up for grabs, will Zidane dare to use Plan-B against Sevilla?
3) Who will take the lead in the battle for 5th and 6th?
Villarreal, Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad all have what look to be winnable matches as they fight it out among themselves to assure 5th and 6th place in the table and qualification for next season's Europa League.
Villarreal take on Deportivo la Coruna, who are five points above third from bottom Sporting Gijon, while Leganes, who travel to Bilbao, are a point above Deportivo after their 4-0 win over Betis last Monday.
Meanwhile Malaga have been undergoing a late-season revival under Michel Gonzalez, with Sandro Ramirez is fine form, but they travel to San Sebastian with nothing other than pride at stake. Therefore it is possible Sunday will see three home wins taking the battle for Europe into the last round of matches with an unprecedented 67 or 68 points needed to qualify.
4) Adios Sporting?
Leganes' 4-0 win over Betis on Monday left Sporting Gijon on the verge of the precipice, looking directly at relegation to the Spanish second division. The side from Asturias has just 27 points from 36 matches and it is incredible they still have a mathematical chance of survival after a disastrous season.
Their relegation will be assured if Deportivo la Coruna and Leganes take a point in their trips to Villarreal or Bilbao, but even if those sides fail to win, Sporting have to take all three points on their visit to Eibar.
Eibar have nothing to play for, but unlike Las Palmas, who Sporting beat 1-0 a week ago, the side coached by Jose Luis Mendilibar never give less than 100 percent and they are a much better team than Sporting, who by 10pm on Sunday could be a new second division side for next season. Enditem
