LaLiga leaders Real Madrid look to stay ahead

LaLiga Santander returns following the international break with Real Madrid looking to stay ahead of the pack, although chasers Atletico de Madrid and Barcelona could take over at the top in what should be an exciting weekend’s action.

Still unbeaten LaLiga Santander pacesetters Real Madrid are at RCD Mallorca in Saturday’s late game. Los Blancos won 5-0 in their last visit in October 2012, but an awful lot has changed on and off the pitch at Son Moix since then thanks to the Balearic Islanders’ American owners.

Second-placed Atletico de Madrid host Valencia on Saturday afternoon, with Diego Simeone’s side having won this fixture in each of the last four seasons, including 3-2 last season despite former rojiblanco striker Kevin Gameiro scoring for the east coast side against his old team.

Saturday’s early game sees Barcelona visit Eibar with both the Catalans and the Basques in excellent form recently, so a repeat of last year’s 2-2 with both blaugrana goals coming from captain Lionel Messi is quite possible.

LaLiga’s weekend programme begins Friday evening when Granada host Osasuna at the Nuevo Los Carmenes, with both newly promoted teams sitting in LaLiga Santander’s top half after excellent starts to the season.

Saturday afternoon brings a local derby to the south of the Spanish capital as Leganes make the short seven-kilometre trip to Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Perez. The game should be especially significant for the home side’s Cameroonian defender Allan Nyom who made the short switch between the two sides last summer.

Sunday starts with D. Alaves hosting RC Celta in a lunchtime clash of two sides who have drifted towards the lower regions of the LaLiga table after just one win in their last six outings.

Elsewhere in the Basque Country, Real Sociedad welcome Real Betis to San Sebastian early on Sunday afternoon, with verdiblanco playmaker Sergio Canales sure a warm welcome from a Reale Arena crowd who enjoyed his talents from 2014-18.

Recently appointed Espanyol coach Pablo Machin makes his debut at the RCDE Stadium when Villarreal visit, with the game also a return to his old club for the Yellow Submarine’s current LaLiga joint top-scorer Gerard Moreno.

Athletic Club have stumbled recently after an excellent start, while Real Valladolid have been picking up momentum through recent weeks, so their clash at San Mames early on Sunday evening could go either way.

Sunday’s late game is at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, where Sevilla host Levante with both sides having had impressive, if inconsistent, openings to their 2019/20 campaigns.

For more news your way, download The Citizen’s app for iOS and Android.