Barca aim to kick-start Liga season

Barcelona will look to translate some of their faultless European form to the domestic scene when they travel to Spanish league leaders Real Sociedad on Sunday.

An unhappy goalless draw at home to Real Madrid last weekend left Barcelona in 10th place in the table and facing a possible ground ban after the game was held up for 12 minutes as a section of the crowd threw objects at former idol Luis Figo.

Louis van Gaal's side put those worries behind them in midweek, however, to beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1 away in the Champions League and make it nine successive wins in Europe.

Argentine forward Javier Saviola, who came off the bench to score the equaliser against Leverkusen, is a doubt with a thigh strain but van Gaal has no other injury worries apart from long-term casualties Luis Enrique and Patrick Andersson.

Barca may feel that now is as good a time as any to be facing Real Sociedad. The Basques remain unbeaten in the league this season but their lead at the top of the table has been cut to just one point after three successive draws.

They will hope that the return of Turkish forward Nihat Kahveci from injury will provide the boost they need to get back to winning ways.

SATURDAY:

OSASUNA vs. ATLETICO MADRID

Osasuna have claimed excellent results in their last two games, a win at home to Valencia and a draw at Celta Vigo, but they remain in the relegation places and will be desperate to prevent Atletico coming away with all three points. That is likely to be a tough ask against an Atletico team that looked in excellent shape in last week's 1-0 win over Real Betis.

SUNDAY:

ALAVES vs. VALENCIA

Valencia's forwards had a collective off day against Ajax in the Champions League in midweek, with midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo popping up to snatch a 1-1 draw late on, but they should still have enough firepower to worry an Alaves side with 21 goals already this season.

DEPORTIVO CORUNA vs. REAL MALLORCA

Depor will come up against their Uruguayan striker Walter Pandiani, on loan at Mallorca and largely responsible for the club's recent revival with seven goals in the past month. Deportivo's former Mallorca striker Albert Luque is unlikely to start against his old club, however, with Javier Irureta set to pair Roy Makaay and Diego Tristan up front.

ESPANYOL vs. RAYO VALLECANO

Espanyol coach Ramon Moya could bring in defender Marc Bertran and forward Albert Crusat from the youth team in a bid to halt a run of four successive league defeats. Rayo's Fernando Vazquez will stick with the bulk of the side that looked so solid in last weekend's goalless draw at home to Real Sociedad but the Bosnian Elvir Bolic could come into the attack in place of Jon Perez Bolo.

RACING SANTANDER vs. MALAGA

Both sides have struggled of late, with Racing having gone five games without a win and Malaga six. The visitors should at least have the edge in terms of freshness, after Malaga's taxing goalless UEFA Cup clash at home to Leeds United on Thursday.

REAL BETIS vs. ATHLETIC BILBAO

Betis have slipped down the table in recent weeks, just as Athletic Bilbao have got their season back on track. Betis appeared to come through their 1-0 UEFA Cup win at home to AJ Auxerre unscathed, although midfielder Capi, suffering from 'flu, came off at halftime and will be a doubt for Sunday.

VALLADOLID vs. CELTA VIGO

Valladolid centre-back Mario is suffering from an ankle injury and is unlikely to be fit for the home side. Celta coach Miguel Angel Lotina could decide to rest Alexander Mostovoi after the Russian midfielder put aside his fitness worries to play the full 90 minutes of his side's 1-0 UEFA Cup defeat at Celtic on Thursday.

VILLARREAL vs. RECREATIVO HUELVA

Villarreal will look to build on their morale-boosting 1-1 draw at Real Mallorca, a game that saw Argentine striker Martin Palermo get back among the goals. They will have to have their wits about them against Recreativo, who moved off the bottom of the table as two goals from Raul Molina gave them an unlikely win against Racing Santander.