Van Nistelrooy aware of Almeria threat
Real Madrid forward Ruud van Nistelrooy has warned his team-mates not to underestimate Almeria this weekend as the reigning champions bid to stay well ahead of the chasing pack.
Real Madrid forward Ruud van Nistelrooy has warned his team-mates not to underestimate Almeria this weekend as the reigning champions bid to stay well ahead of the chasing pack.
Real extended its lead over second-placed Barcelona to nine points last weekend, while it is 15 points clear of third-placed Villarreal, whom Bernd Schuster's side beat 3-2 on Sunday.
With an eight-game winning streak in the Primera Liga behind it and a favorable run-in ahead, Real looks set for a comfortable stroll to the title.
However, it could face one of its tougher away matches on Saturday when it takes on eighth-placed Almeria.
Almeria has won each of its last three league matches 1-0 - including ending Espanyol's 17-match unbeaten run - and is just four points off a UEFA Cup spot.
Real has also kept things tight at home, scoring eight and conceding just seven in 11 league matches at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterraneos.
Almeria may have lost four of its home games this season, but Van Nistelrooy admits he has been impressed by the top-flight newcomers.
When asked which teams he felt would be up there at the end of the season, the Dutchman told AS: "Villarreal and Atletico Madrid are very good. It has been a surprise for me how well Villarreal has played. I also like Racing Santander and Almeria."
"Almeria has the same points as Sevilla, which is also surprising and something I did not expect - not for Almeria to have done what it has, but because it is strange to see Sevilla so far behind. Nothing is easy. As such we will have to take care and focus completely on Saturday's game.''
Saturday's other match pits Real Betis against second-bottom Deportivo La Coruna, with the rest of this weekend's La Liga fixtures taking place on Sunday.
Barca will hope to take advantage of any Real slip-up when it hosts Osasuna, and coach Frank Rijkaard could have playmaker Ronaldinho available for that match.
The Brazil international has been sidelined for over a month with a knee injury, but was named in a 16-man Barca squad for Thursday's Copa del Rey tie with Villarreal.
Troubled Valencia will seek to end a nine-game winless streak in La Liga when it travels to Real Valladolid, with Los Che receiving a boost in midweek after reaching the Copa del Rey semi-finals despite a second leg loss to Atletico.
Javier Aguirre's men, who won that match against Valencia 3-2, are also struggling slightly in the league and they will be keen to put back-to-back defeats behind them when they face Real Murcia at the Vicente Calderon.
Getafe continued its love affair with the cup after easing its way through to the semi-finals with an away goals win over Real Mallorca.
The capital club, which reached last year's cup final before losing to Sevilla, hosts stuttering Espanyol, while Mallorca travels to Villarreal.
Elsewhere, Sevilla goes to Andalusian rivals Recreativo Huelva, bottom club Levante welcomes Racing Santander and Real Zaragoza is at home to Athletic Bilbao.