Resurgent Betis could stifle Atleti
With no game for Real Madrid this weekend – their fixture against Sevilla was postponed because of the Andalusian’s participation in the Copa del Rey final – Atleti have a chance to move further ahead of their cross town rivals.
It’ll be no easy task against a revitalised Betis however, especially after a shock 3-0 defeat to Real Sociedad on Thursday that all but sealed the title for Barcelona. If Atleti lose again here, Barca will be 12 points clear with 12 points to play for. Quique Setien’s side might have shipped the most goals in the entire top have of the Spanish top flight, but they have momentum just at the right term, and are sat proudly in the European places.
With one eye on the Europa League semi-final against Arsenal, Diego Simeone may choose to rest a few of his key players, but he doesn’t want to overdo the rotations.
The Rojiblancos’ favourite result is a hard-fought 1-0, and in Jan Oblak they have a brick wall as a keeper. If Atleti can break the five-man Betis defence down in the early stages, then they’re more than capable of sitting on their lead.
Diego Godin should be on his guard at the other end for the twin threat of Loren Moron and Sergio Leon, both of whom are capable of helping to cause an upset.
Celta will settle for another home point against Valencia
Both of these sides couldn’t beat Barcelona in the past week but the pair gave the Catalans a battle.
Iago Aspas and Rodrigo Morena, Spain team-mates, will be tasked with earning the three points for their sides which are equally important for either.
Celta have a chance at a Europa League placing at this point, but have Girona and Getafe breathing down their necks, not to mention trying to overhaul Sevilla, whilst Valencia still have a great chance of finishing third, perhaps even second if results go their way.
Los Che have the meaner defence and also the upper hand in this particular fixture. However, Celta have only lost three times at home all season, the last time coming way back in mid-December.
If Marcelino wants to come away from Balaidos with at least a point, then his side will have to contain the electric Pione Sisto and inventive Brais Mendez.
Conversely, Celta can’t cede as much possession in the midfield as they did against Barca. Geoffrey Kondogbia will waltz through the middle like a knife through butter, whilst Dani Parejo and Goncalo Guedes will have the hosts singing a merry tune if they’re given half the chance.
Girona back in the groove against Espanyol
Another Catalan derby, and one where it might’ve been expected that the first timers in La Liga, Girona, would be playing catch up with much of the division rather than Espanyol.
Though the team from Montilivi have dropped off of the pace in the last few games, they’re still sitting pretty and with every chance of a Europa League spot if they can find their form of a few weeks ago.
Quique Sanchez Flores has had a disastrous season at Espanyol, and ever since he wasn’t allowed to take the Stoke job, his team have suffered. In the last 14 games since inflicting Barcelona’s first defeat of the season the Copa del Rey, the Periquitos have only won twice.
One of those was courtesy of a stellar performance against Real Madrid, but they’ve been found wanting in a number of matches. They’re also goalless in the last four, the likes of Gerard Moreno and Leo Baptistao trying too hard to score at present.
That hasn’t been a problem for Portu or Cristhian Stuani at Girona, and the hosts should comfortably bounce back here, to pile even more pressure on Quique.
Depor to continue their resurgence at Leganes
There’s a hugely intriguing game in prospect at Butarque on Friday night.
Up until recently, this would’ve been a nailed on three points for the hosts, but out of nowhere, Depor have found some form, winning two and drawing one of their last three, after going 15 matches without a win.
Though the odds of survival are still stacked against Clarence Seedorf’s team, of the bottom three, they are the only ones able to stay up if results do fall their way.
Adrian Lopez has four goals in the last three games for the Galicians, and up against a poor central defensive pairing of Ezequiel Munoz and Mauro Dos Santos, he could find rich pickings.
In fact, it’s centrally where the visitors will get most joy, Leganes’ spine as brittle as they come.
Gerard Gumbau, previously of Barca B, has done nothing to suggest he has a long career at the top level, and won’t provide anything like the protection that’s needed for the Leganes defence.
Depor’s Michael Krohn-Dehli has an important part to play in this one, as his eye-of-the-needle passes into Lopez and Lucas Perez are something that’s likely to win them the game.
Alaves to put another nail in Las Palmas’ coffin
If the Canary Islanders aren’t already down before kick-off, then this is the match that will seal their fate.
Paco Jemez was brought in to try and save them from the drop after a disastrous start, but by the coach’s own admission, they are ‘the worst team I’ve ever trained.’
Though his assessment is a little harsh, Las Palmas have only produced what they’re capable of in brief flashes.
Alaves also struggled in the first half of the campaign, but Abelardo’s hire at least steadied the ship. Still in the lower reaches of the table, they’ll consider staying up a success given that they were cut adrift at one point.
This is the sort of game that Munir El Haddadi will enjoy, the ex-Barca man thriving in the Basque country.
Clean sheets in the last three give them a platform from which to build, and don’t be surprised if John Guidetti’s power gets him on the score sheet too.
Another former Barcelona player, Alen Halilovic, hasn’t had any impact at all on Las Palmas. Once christened the ‘Croatian Messi,’ he rarely has an end product. And end product is precisely what Jemez’s team need in this situation.
