Valencia to feel Barca’s wrath
There isn’t one person that will have called Barcelona’s elimination from the Champions League, and whilst the club will be feeling bruised, the best way to get that defeat out of their system is by getting back on the horse and winning again.
Valencia are, along with Barca, the form team in the division, having won eight and drawn one of their last nine.
If this one happened to be at Mestalla, then Marcelino’s side would have the advantage, and they’ll still be a tough nut to crack at the Camp Nou.
There may be one or two changes from Ernesto Valverde. Ousmane Dembele’s pace can trouble Los Che and he needs to start, whilst Sergio Busquets still doesn’t look 100 percent fit.
With a full stadium behind them, and knowing another game without losing will hand them the all-time La Liga record for games unbeaten, is too big a carrot for the Blaugrana to stumble again for the second time in a few days.
Goncalo Guedes, Rodrigo and Geoffrey Kondogbia remain the danger men for Valencia. Barca need to concentrate on cutting off their attacks at source or for Pique and Umtiti to be markedly better than they were in Rome.
Malaga succumb to rampant Real Madrid
Just about a year or so ago, Malaga put one of the final nails into Barcelona’s coffin to all but hand Real Madrid the title.
Lightning is certainly not going to strike twice at La Rosaleda. Their win last time out at home was their first in 15 games in all competitions.
What is likely to be of most concern is that, should Levante get at least a point at Atletico Madrid, then Malaga will be relegated to the Segunda Division.
It’s an inevitability that they’ll be falling through the trap door, the only question is when?
Cristiano Ronaldo will show the bottom side no mercy whatsoever as he continues his personal battle with Lionel Messi to become the Pichichi, and there’ll be rich pickings to be had.
Roberto Rosales and Miguel Torres have been awful this season, and the two full-backs are not going to be able to cope with the pace and the constant bombardment from Los Blancos.
Similarly, Real should find success if they play centrally. Mehdi Lacen and Manuel Iturra haven’t managed to protect their back four well enough in almost every game, and one gets the impression that the end of the season can’t come quickly enough.
Zinedine Zidane will rotate, with Gareth Bale again playing 90 minutes. Don’t be surprised to see Theo Hernandez and Dani Ceballos too, as a bare minimum.
Real to win at a canter and to jump back above Valencia in the table.
👉 #APorLa13
The long goodbye for Fernando Torres begins against Levante
This is the first chance Atletico Madrid fans will have to thank Fernando Torres for his service, after his press conference to announce his time at the club has come to an end.
With only a handful of matches left in the Wanda Metropolitano’s debut season, there’s not long left for one of Atleti’s best servants to be given the send-off he deserves.
Whether Diego Simeone will get sentimental is unlikely, and there are enough attackers in the side for Torres to not get a look in again.
The only glimmer El Nino has is that a win over Levante is almost guaranteed – that’s if the 5-0 from earlier this season is an accurate barometer. A couple of early goals and Simeone may feel the time is right for a cameo appearance.
Before anything like that is to happen, however, the Rojiblancos need to be businesslike in their performance. Nothing needs to change, another win to nil will be just the ticket.
Levante are unbeaten in five after previously going 10 without a win, but they don’t have enough about them to beat an Atleti side that are still Barcelona’s closest challengers.
Ruben Rochina and Coke are both suspended after red cards against Las Palmas, making Paco Lopez’s task all the more difficult.
Eibar to win battle of the Basques
Alaves might only be five points behind Eibar, but they also are a huge six places away from their neighbours.
Virtually safe from relegation, Abelardo can now look at taking enough points from now until the end of the season to see them finish comfortably mid-table.
Eibar will have something to say about that, especially as they’re still not out of it in terms of European qualification.
Jose Luis Mendilibar’s side won a tight tussle between the teams earlier this season, and has the luxury of a virtually fully fit squad.
Fabian Orellana is their danger man, and if he is allowed to drift, he’ll take whichever option presents itself. Equally comfortable coming inside or going outside, Martin Aguirregabiria will have his work cut out.
Munir El Haddadi and John Guidetti have struck up a burgeoning partnership, and may register. But Alaves have only won one away from home in 2018 for a reason.
Sevilla will be happy with a point against Villarreal
The Andalusians have bigger fish to fry given that the Copa del Rey final is on the horizon. With that and a midweek fixture against Depor in mind, Vincenzo Montella can take the chance to freshen up his starting XI.
With only one win from the last seven games, a result is vital to give them the same belief as Roma had in overturning Barca at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Fortunately, Villarreal are on a terrible run of their own, having only won three of the last 12, and it’s in midfield where they suffer. Javier Calleja has tended to play an attacking formation, but Manu Trigueros and Javi Fuego have often been totally overrun in the middle, leaving Rodri exposed.
Up front, Carlos Bacca has been a shadow of the striker everyone knows he can be, and it’s almost as if his mind is elsewhere.
Steven N’Zonzi’s rampaging and marauding runs for Sevilla will keep the Yellow Submarine on their toes, and with Wissam Ben Yedder being given a start, Daniele Bonera and Alvaro Gonzalez have to be at it from the first whistle.
Ben Yedder and one or two others are playing for their cup final places and will sweat blood to make Montella’s life difficult. It’s a game made for Ever Banega too and expect a master class from the Argentinian.
