Liga General Preview: Atletico Return To Business
Atletico Madrid will be desperate to prove their president Jesus Gil was wrong as they entertain an in-form Deportivo La Coruna side. Gil publicly slammed the Atleti players after the 4-3 defeat against Villarreal last weekend and there has been a lot of bridge building in the run-up to the game this weekend. Coach Luis Aragones almost walked out on the club, but was persuaded to stay, while Gil was forced to apologise to the squad for his harsh words. Atleti have now lost four of their last five outings and have slipped to ninth in the league. Depor have not lost since mid-October and go into
Atletico Madrid will be desperate to prove their president Jesus Gil was wrong as they entertain an in-form Deportivo La Coruna side. Gil publicly slammed the Atleti players after the 4-3 defeat against Villarreal last weekend and there has been a lot of bridge building in the run-up to the game this weekend. Coach Luis Aragones almost walked out on the club, but was persuaded to stay, while Gil was forced to apologise to the squad for his harsh words. Atleti have now lost four of their last five outings and have slipped to ninth in the league. Depor have not lost since mid-October and go into the game on the back of three-game winning streak, including the impressive victory in the Galician derby against Celta last Saturday.
Real Madrid can move into first place if they can record a rare win at the Balaidos against a stubborn Celta Vigo side. Vicente Del Bosque has finally found a winning formula and take his side to Vigo with five consecutive league wins under their belt. Madrid have scored an incredible 19 goals in those five matches with goals flying in from all angles. As well as Ronaldo and Raul finding the net, Guti and Javier Portillo have also proved they are superb strikers, while the midfield has also chipped in. Celta were well-beaten last weekend as Depor chalked up a 3-0 victory in the Riazor and coach Miguel Angel Lotina will be keen to prove that his side are not set to again miss out on the Champions League places with a morale-boosting victory against Madrid.
Real Sociedad were unstoppable before Christmas, but looked to have had a Christmas hangover last weekend as they allowed Malaga to twice draw level in a thrilling 2-2 in the Anoeta. But they will have Darko Kovacevic back for the tricky trip to Valencia. If Raynald Denoueix's side are to prove that they can keep up the pace for the end of season run-in then taking something from the Mestalla will be a start. But the home side will still be smarting from the 4-1 drubbing they received at the Bernabeu in their last outing against Real Madrid. With the match hanging in the balance at 1-1, Pablo Aimar was sent off for his second bookable offence. The dismissal allowed the homer side to chalk up three goals and caused indignation in the reigning league champions' camp. Valencia accused Madrid of having too many things go their way when they play at home as a war of words blew up between the two clubs.
Louis Van Gaal knows that he is living on a knife-edge and that every game he approaches could be his last. The Dutch coach will not be relishing the trip to Andalucia where his charges face Malaga in La Rosaleda. Barca have two convincing wins under their belt as they look to reassert their push for a European spot. But they have yet to convince their own fans that they are capable of mounting a serious push for the top as the victories came against a Mallorca side reduced to nine men and a struggling Recreativo side that looked scared senseless last week in the Camp Nou. Malaga though are in serious trouble having not won since early-November. Joaquin Peiro's side face the Catalan giants on the back of a seven-match run without a victory and their slide towards the relegation zone could see them spend the rest of the season embroiled in a dogfight to stay up.
In the weekend's other encounters Valladolid travel to Navarra to take on Osasuna, Espanyol hope to record a vital victory as Racing Santander travel to Montjuic and Athletic Bilbao will be looking to complete a hat-trick of wins as they take on Villarreal in San Mames.
Recreativo will fancy their chances in the Andalucian derby against Sevilla, while Rayo Vallecano could move clear of the drop zone if they can beat visitors Mallorca and Real Betis entertain Alaves in the north versus south clash in the Manuel Ruiz de Lopera.