Top-of-the-table clash in Seville headlines bumper LaLiga weekend

Seven teams are currently within three points of Sevilla at the top after an exciting start to the 2019/20 campaign filled with surprises, with the latest round of games also offering others lower down the table to kickstart their campaigns.

Sevilla have 10 points from their first four games under new coach Julen Lopetegui, with ex-Eibar midfielder Joan Jordan and on loan left-back Sergio Reguilon from Madrid in great form. But Zinedine Zidane’s side are just two points and two places behind the leaders, with LaLiga’s current ‘Pichichi’ top scorer, Karim Benzema in top form.

Adding to the intrigue is Los Blancos who have lost each of their last four LaLiga visits to the Estadio Sanchez Pizjuan, including a 3-0 defeat last season, during the Andalusians then coach Julen Lopetegui’s short spell in charge of Madrid.

The weekend’s action begins Friday night where last year’s LaLiga Smartbank winners Osasuna, still unbeaten after four games back up in the top-flight, host a Real Betis team whose performances have been better than their four points from four games would suggest.

Saturday’s programme starts at the Estadio de la Ceramica where Villarreal host Valladolid, with both teams having had steady starts including a win and two draws from their four outings so far.

Excitement then looks assured at Levante’s Ciudad de Valencia stadium as Eibar are the visitors – these teams drew both their LaLiga games last season, first 4-4, then 2-2.

Atletico Madrid will be looking to bounce back from last week’s first defeat of the campaign at Real Sociedad when they host Celta Vigo on Saturday afternoon – Atletico have won eight of their last nine home LaLiga games, while Celta have not won any of their last 13 on the road.

Saturday evening’s late fixture sees Barcelona who are likely to bring both Lionel Messi and Ansu Fati to Granada’s Nuevo Estadio de los Carmenes, where the home side will be confident having won their most recent outings at Espanyol and Celta Vigo.

Sunday’s action starts early with Mallorca at Getafe’s Coliseum Alfonso Perez at noon – where a 1-1 draw looks quite likely given both have found the net four times so far. Two teams who got morale boosting victories last week meet later with Real Sociedad coming to Espanyol’s RCDE Stadium – and each side’s young summer signings Martin Odegaard and Matias Vargas having starred already.

Neither Valencia nor Leganes will be fully happy with their starts to the new LaLiga campaign, so Sunday afternoon’s meeting at Mestalla offers a chance for either to get a badly needed three points.

By contrast both Athletic Bilbao and Alaves have begun very positively, meaning that their Basque derby meeting at San Mames early Sunday evening is likely to be a cracker.

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