Football: Five things to look out for in La Liga

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Football: Five things to look out for in La Liga

MADRID, Dec 15, 2017 (BSS/AFP) – Real Madrid’s Club World Cup commitments
mean Barcelona, Valencia and Atletico Madrid have a huge chance to put even
more distance between themselves and the European champions this weekend.

Basque rivals Athletic Bilbao and Real Sociedad face off at San Mames,
while newly promoted Girona and Getafe have the chance to move into the top
six.

Here, AFP Sports looks at five things to watch for this weekend in La Liga:

Barca’s big pre-Clasico chance

If they dispose of Deportivo la Coruna at the Camp Nou on Sunday, Barca
will take a commanding 11-point lead over Real.

Next weekend, Barca travel to the Santiago Bernabeu as the Catalans and
Real Madrid end their year with El Clasico.

Even with a game in hand to come, Madrid have never overcome such a deficit
to win the league and to remain in the title race would realistically need to
inflict Barca’s first defeat since they last visited the Bernabeu back in
August to win the Spanish Super Cup.

Suarez back in business

Further aiding Barca’s bid to regain the title is Luis Suarez’s return to
form after a poor start to the season.

Suarez struggled for both form and fitness after rushing back from a knee
injury suffered as Barca fell to Madrid in the Super Cup.

However, the Uruguayan has scored in his last two outings against Celta
Vigo and Villarreal with the latter strike in particular displaying the touch
and speed of movement of Suarez at his best.

Deportivo also tend to bring the best out of the former Liverpool striker
as he has netted six times in his last three meetings against the Galicians.

Bleak times in the Basque country

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Athletic and Sociedad are both in need of some festive cheer in the midst of
hugely disappointing campaigns so far only propped up by progress to the last
32 of the Europa League.

Both sides have just two league wins each since mid-September and were
dumped out of the Copa del Rey by third tier opposition in Formentera and
Lleida Esportiu.

However, with just six points separating sixth from 17th in the table,
European ambitions for next season are still a realistic goal for the Basque
teams if squads boasting the talents of Spanish internationals Kepa
Arrizabalaga, Inaki Williams, Aritz Aduriz, Asier Illarramendi and Alvaro
Odriozola start playing to their potential.

From second tier to top six With Girona hosting Getafe before Villarreal’s
trip to Celta Vigo on Sunday, a win for either side will take them into the
top six for a few hours at least despite having two of the five smallest
budgets in the division.

“Money isn’t everything, with humility Girona are competing very well,”
said Girona boss Pablo Machin after Monday’s 1-0 win at Espanyol.

In their first ever season in the top flight, Girona’s tiny budget on paper
is aided by Manchester City’s part ownership of the Catalans with five
players on loan from the Premier League leaders.

After bouncing straight back after relegation, Getafe have learned from
mistakes made during their 12-year stay in La Liga between 2004 and 2016 with
crowds up at the Alfonso Perez Coliseum and Jose Bordalas building a side
that caused even Barca and Madrid problems and inflicted Valencia’s only
defeat of the season.

Alaves threaten Atletico charge

End 2017 strongly and Atletico could be very much in the title race come
the new year with nearly 100 million euros of talent in Diego Costa and
Vitolo finally freed up to play from January.

Victory over Alaves in their final home game of the year on Saturday will
see Diego Simeone’s men sleep just three points off the top and open up a
five-point lead over city rivals Real.

However, despite still languishing in the relegation zone, Alaves pose a
more potent threat with Abelardo Fernandez in charge, who has masterminded
two wins from two since being named the Basques’ third coach of the season.

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday (2000)

Sevilla v Levante

Saturday

Athletic Bilbao v Real Sociedad (1515), Eibar v Valencia (1730), Atletico
Madrid v Alaves (1945)

Sunday

Girona v Getafe (1100), Celta Vigo v Villarreal (1515), Las Palmas v
Espanyol (1730), Barcelona v Deportivo la Coruna (1945)

Monday

Malaga v Real Betis (2000)

BSS/AFP/MR/1114 hrs