Vigo the next stop for injury-hit Real Madrid
Injury-hit Real Madrid would welcome an easy home match this weekend, after Wednesday's bruising, exhausting 0-0 draw at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Injury-hit Real Madrid would welcome an easy home match this weekend, after Wednesday's bruising, exhausting 0-0 draw at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League.
Instead, they have another difficult away match Saturday, at in-form Celta Vigo.
"That's what it's like at this time of year: a tough match every three or four days," Real captain Sergio Ramos said in Paris.
"Celta are in excellent form, and we know it is going to be a very hard match indeed for us."
The Whites will make the trip without injury victims Dani Carvajal, Pepe, Mateo Kovacic, James Rodriguez and Gareth Bale.
The media in Madrid are rather annoyed at Bale's latest muscle injury, given that the expensive striker insisted on playing all of Wales' game last week against Andorra despite Chris Coleman's side having already clinched qualification for Euro 2016.
"Bale has shown a certain disrespect for Real Madrid," Radio Marca commented.
"He has made it all too clear that Wales is his number one priority."
The good news for coach Rafa Benitez is that Luka Modric is fit again, and that Karim Benzema could be ready to return by Saturday.
If Real's attack is looking rather threadbare at the moment, then their defence is looking tighter than ever, having conceded just two goals in 11 matches in La Liga and the Champions League.
Celta - making their best start since 1998 - are level on points with Real and Barcelona at the top and in exuberant form, having caned Barca 4-1 three weeks ago.
"I don't think Real Madrid are really so superior to us," Celta keeper Sergio Alvarez said.
"They are a good team but so are we. We will attack them as often as we can, just as we did against Barcelona."
The Catalans - who host modest Eibar Sunday - have an injury of their own to deal with.
Sergi Roberto is Barca's latest casualty, after pulling a muscle in Tuesday's 2-0 win at BATE Borisov. Coach Luis Enrique is hoping that veteran captain Andres Iniesta will be fit by Sunday.
Eibar only avoided relegation last season due to Elche's administrative relegation for massive tax arrears, but have made a lively start this year and are seventh.
Leading their attack in the Camp Nou will be Borja Baston, who said: "We have nothing at all to lose in Barcelona. Nobody really expects us to do well, so there will be little pressure on us.
"We will just be trying to enjoy ourselves, as we always try to."
The other big match Sunday is fourth-placed Atletico Madrid at home to Valencia, after both teams scored important home wins in the Champions League this week.
The weekend's other matches are: Rayo Vallecano v Espanyol, Granada v Real Betis, Sevilla v Getafe, Malaga v Deportivo La Coruna, Levante v Real Sociedad, Las Palmas v Villarreal and Athletic Bilbao v Sporting Gijon.