Real’s backs against the wall… again
Alaves will head to the Santiago Bernabeu full of confidence, and though Los Blancos have written off the league for this season, Zinedine Zidane’s side will still want to continue their recent good run.
The issue remains that Real Madrid aren’t at all convincing even when they’re winning games.
A 3-1 win over Leganes flattered them, with only a late Sergio Ramos penalty taking the game away from hosts who took the lead after five minutes.
For all of their attacking prowess, defensively Real are nowhere close to last season’s excellence.
In Munir El Haddadi, Alaves have a striker at the top of his game, and Abelardo Fernandez’s side have more than matched Real with points won in 2018.
The Bernabeu isn’t the fortress it once was and whether Zidane can engineer another win or not, it won’t come easily.
Their backs will be against the wall for the entire 90 minutes and they might just be looking for another late Ramos goal to get them out of jail.
Girona to make life tough for Barca
A tough trip to London will almost certainly ensure that Barcelona are a bit leggy going into this Catalan derby, the first to be played between the two sides at the Camp Nou.
Just as with Alaves, Girona won’t be overawed, and given how well they’ve fared under Pablo Machin against the big sides in the league, Barcelona will face another difficult fixture. The visitors have only lost one of the last seven and come into the game in great form.
Ernesto Valverde has to consider rotation at this point too, to ensure his squad are fresh for the Champions League return against Chelsea.
He needs to keep Pique and Umtiti in-situ, however, because Cristhian Stuani and Portu absolutely know where the goal is.
And no one will forget how well Pablo Maffeo shackled Lionel Messi in the reverse fixture earlier in the campaign.
A 3-5-2 for the visitors will work well again and will limit the raiding down the flanks of Messrs. Roberto and Alba.
It’s a fascinating contest in prospect and one chance from either side wins this one.
Sevilla undone by Atleti’s assassins
Both teams have had European dates to contend with but neither can rest on their laurels.
Sevilla have to win to keep in touch with the leaders, whilst Atleti are the closest to Barcelona and primed to reel them in further if they drop more points.
Home advantage could be crucial here, and we saw just how well Vincenzo Montella’s back line responded under pressure, against Manchester United.
Diego Costa and Antoine Griezmann will look to test them throughout, but with Steven N’Zonzi doing a wonderful screening job just in front of the back four, Atleti’s attack will need to be patient.
Jan Oblak is odds-on for another Zamora award for least goals conceded, and should feel comfortable enough here.
Another 1-0 will suit Diego Simeone’s team, as they grind out the results and keep putting the pressure on Ernesto Valverde’s side.
Valencia keep Los Blancos in their sights
After Real Madrid’s midweek win, Valencia now find themselves down to fourth. Not so long ago, we were talking in terms of Los Che being two points behind Barcelona so Marcelino has work to do if he wants to get back in that top three.
Fortunately, they’re up against a Sociedad side that are shipping goals left, right and centre. Only two of the bottom three and Real Betis have conceded more.
Eusebio Sacristan’s team have only won three of the last 15, a period which has seen them lose nine. More than four goals have been conceded at least three times too.
Mikel Oyarzabal remains a shining light along with right-back Alvaro Odriozola, but in truth, with marksman Willian Jose out of action, they’ve precious little to trouble a Valencia side who will come at them in wave after wave of attacks.
Expect Dani Parejo to be conductor-in-chief, with rich pickings for Simone Zaza and his colleagues. Another four-goal salvo isn’t out of the question.
Betis will batter Levante
Where there’s Betis, there are goals.
More than one game this season, Quique Setien’s side have played in games that have been eight-goal thrillers! Though not always to their benefit. And therein lies the problem.
So many times in the campaign, Real Madrid being the most recent example, Betis have played outstandingly well and got themselves into winning positions, only to throw it all away with stupid decision making.
That they are 10th with 50 goals conceded is a miracle in itself.
Poor old Levante can’t buy a league win, their last coming way back on November 19th last year, the one before that on September 21.
If the hosts get anything out of this one it will be a surprise because, frankly, they are devoid of confidence and coherent in-game management.
Once Loren Moron, Joaquin and Ryad Boudebouz start buzzing around, Levante will just have to baton down the hatches and hope for the best.
