Helter-skelter Celta aim to maintain their steady course

Celta Vigo fans are used to the ups-and-downs of life. Last season the Galician club led the league after three weeks, plunged as far as 16th and then climbed back to secure a place in the UEFA Cup on the last day of the season.

This season has, at least, started in similar fashion. Celta are on top of the Spanish first division, unbeaten after their first two games, having not conceded a goal.

"Last season was a roller-coaster ride for everyone. It wasn't one I enjoyed at times but there were reasons for it," said Celta coach Victor Fernandez.

"Key players were injured and others were not finding their form regularly. Our aim for this season has to be more consistancy and, if we can manage that, then we can be realistic title challengers."

To make it three wins in a row, Celta must beat Real Sociedad in the Basque team's Anoeta stadium, a venue which in years gone by was a notoriously difficult place to get a result.

However, last season the John Toshack-coached club lost seven times in front of their home fans, the worst record - along with Alaves and Espanyol - in the Spanish first division.

This season has continued in the same vein and Real Sociedad are already in relegation-trouble, without a point to their name.

Fernandez is expected to name the same team that took to the pitch and won 3-0 at home to Tenerife last Sunday, which means that Spanish international defender Juanfran Garcia will probabley start at left back rather than the new Brazilian arrival Silvinho, who was recently signed from English Premiership side Arsenal.

The one point of contention is whether the Zvonimir Boban will start, or be on the bench. The Croatian loan from Milan has been brilliant, but only for brief periods, in the first two games and is clearly well short of match fitness.

He came on as a second half substitute in the first match, a 3-0 win at Osasuna, and then only played the first half of last week's match.

By contrast to Celta, who have never won a single major trophy, Spanish soccer giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have had a torrid start to the season.

Barcelona have four points to their name but have looked far from convincing in their first two games. Knee injuries mean they will be without former World Player of the Year Rivaldo, - who could be out for as much as another month - and possibly Dutch international Marc Overmars, for their trip to Osasuna on Saturday.

"I've had problems with my right knee since the World Cup matches last week and although I'm hoping I can play, I'm far from one hundred per cent confident," Overmars said on Thursday.

Rivaldo's absence means that the inmpressive Argentine teenager Javier Saviola will start at the front. Luis Enrique, who was drafted in as an emergency right back last week, has got bruised ribs, which may mean a move off the bench for the Spanish international defender Carles Puyol.

Real Madrid have less injury worries but bigger problems in so far as they have made their worse start to the season for 13 years with only one point from their first two games.

The misery could continue on Saturday at Real Betis - one of the the defending champions' bogey teams and where they have only won once in the league in the last ten years - despite their much improved form during their 2-1 win over Roma in the Champions' League on Tuesday.

World record acquisition Zinedine Zidane was absent from that match because of suspension and the debate has raged for several days, in the Spanish media and Madrid bars, about whether the 66-million-dollar signing should be on the bench in Seville.

In the likely event that Real Madrid coach Vicente Del Bosque keeps faith with the Frenchman, then it will probabley mean Steve McManaman is back among the substitutes once more.

Spanish international striker Fernando Morientes will be out of action for another ten days with the left hamstring strain he suffered while on international duty against Leichtenstein last week, the club said on Thursday, which means that Jose Maria Gutierrez will probably retain his place up front alongside Raul Gonzalez.