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Spain La Liga Preview, Matchday 21

Matias Vulej, February 6th, 2010
Will Barcelona be able to remain undefeated for another week? Valencia's fight against Sevilla cotinues for the third place


Not much has changed since last week in the Spanish league. With both Real Madrid and Barcelona living up to their expectations, Valencia stumbled on its trip to Andalusia. Now the top is being jealously guarded by the giants, while Atletico and Sevilla are close to face each other at the Copa del Rey final match. The relegation zone has become unstable, so from now on the battle will be fought in three fronts. 

Saturday 6th, February 2010

Valencia vs Valladolid - 12:00 AM EST

After the trip to Andalusia last week much has changed for the Murcielagos. They were experiencing a major winning streak and even hoped with taking the second position off Real Madrid's hands. But it was Sevilla's striker, Negredo, who judged Valencia was to suffer if they meant to reach the top. David Villa remained a shadow being absolutely disconnected with the midfield playing, and so now the top has again escaped from their hands and even qualification for the European competitions has become something to fight for. 

 

Valladolid managed to obtain the point they needed to escape for another week from the relegation zone, but it's been six weeks since they lastly obtained a victory, and the Almeria is still above their heads clouding their view. Still, they have the opportunity to reach the fifteenth position if they make a three-points difference with their neighbors. After a bad January, maybe Onésimo Sanchez's boys will be able to return from the Mestalla without the sword of Damocles hanging over their heads

Barcelona vs Getafe - 2:00 PM EST

Its another week of the endless chase at the top. Four weeks with their defense intact and their offensive at the top are making the Culés become everyone's favorite in this tournament. Undefeated after 20 matches and having received only 10 goals, Pep Guardiola and his team will receive Getafe ready to show that they have settled for good at the top. Last week they lacked the determination they've been showing during the tournament, but it was enough to obtain the three points.

Last week was the first time for Getafe to taste a draw, and now not even a triumph could take them above Deportivo. And even if they could return home with a victory, it will be for the sake of their rivals, those that can still dream with reaching to the top. Now the opportunities for obtaining any place in the European competitions have been seriously lowered, and they will have to face Barcelona without Pedro León, as he received his fifth yellow card last week. A defeat against Barcelona could take them just one match below the upper half of the table, so they must secure at least one point not to be jeopardized on this second half of the league. Watch Barcelona vs Getafe Live

Real Madrid vs Espanyol - 4:00 PM EST

Eighteen years of suffering ended last week, as the Merengues were finally able to celebrate a victory at the Riazor. Everybody could feel the energy flowing within Manuel Pellegrini's team last week, as everything seemed to work marvelously between Granero, Kaka and Xabi Alonso. It was an important test for a tired Real Madrid, and the challenge won't stop at least for two weeks more. Still five points below FC Barcelona, another week without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gonzalo Higuain will take place, knowing whether they have a chance to get closer to the top or not.

Last triumph against the Athletic gave Espanyol a much needed break from the bottom fight, standing now six points above the relegation line. They will have to face the Real this week and Deportivo on the next one, so such an advantage could be teared apart by the giants. Javi Marquez is becoming week after week the bearer of its team, and the chemistry with his captain, Luis Garcia, has been giving its team the bursts of football they needed to obtain their last victories. This trip to Madrid will probably determine the future of Mauricio Pochettino and his boys. Watch Real Madrid vs Espanyol Live

Sunday 7th February 2010

Athletic Bilbao vs Xerez - 11:00 AM EST

Xerez coach, Pipo GorositoWith last week defeat against Espanyol, the podium of the tournament has become almost unreachable for Joaquín Caparrós and his players. Its the third time they score no points in five weeks, so what seemed to be a good year for Athletic is slowly becoming a nightmare. Is it thanks to its goalkeeper, Gorka Iraizos, that every match was not decided till the last minute, as the solidity of the man between the posts has saved the Leones many times from a shameful defeat. But they need to be more aggressive if qualifying for an European competition means anything for them.

Everything comes to an end, and after many weeks of disastrous playing, Xerez finally obtained a victory under the wing of its new coach, Pipo Gorosito. They couldn't escape from the bottom yet, and their stay there is doomed to remain for at least two weeks, but without last triumph every hope of keeping the category would be a mere desire. It was thanks to Carlos Calvo that their destiny changed, and if he manages to put the team on his back, then the rope around Xerecistas' necks might loose a bit. He and his team know they cannot return home without a victory on their trip to Bilbao.

Málaga vs Deportivo - 11:00 AM EST

The bottom days appear to be over for Malaga, and last week against Atletico they scored their first victory away in the whole tournament. They are now in the fifteenth position, but they must remain cautious, as only three points are separating them from the basement. As long as they continue playing at the level they have been during the lasts weeks, the possibilities on climbing to the upper half of the table will only increase. Team's coach, Juan Ramon Muñiz, have finally found the way to make the best out of his players, and if they manage to defeat the Depor home, the relegation fight will amost become a bad memory for their fans. 

At the doorsteps of the Europeans competitions stands the Depor. With a rough beginning of an year (Having obtained only seven of the last eighteenth points) the Herculeans have been swept away from the podium and now have to struggle their way up. They won't be facing any direct rival on the following weeks, so they must take advantage of this first opportunity to recover what they once had. Miguel Angel Lotina recognized his players were very nervous and so they committed many mistakes, and the galactics are not known for their mercy. Much will have to be done to make the players recover the confidence they had the first half of the tournament, and this will be the first of many steps.

Mallorca vs Villarreal - 11:00 AM EST

Mallorca is having one of their best performances in years, but their results when playing away have left an unearthly feeling on the air; only one victory has been obtained out of the Ono Estadi. At least this week they'll have the relief to return home and demonstrate they belong to the European competitions. The wounds Xerez caused on the Rojinegros are steel bleeding, but the top is not that far away. It'll be a must-win match for Gregorio Manzano and his team, unless they want to be cast out from the fight to the top.

With an irregular play, Villareal is still standing at the upper half of the table, while advancing on the European League. But Juan Carlos Garrido is having problems to face both competitions at the same time, and so an elimination from the Europa League might leave the team empty-handed and hopeless. This match is mandatory for the Submarino Amarillo as Real Mallorca is a direct rival for the top. Last presentation against the Osasuna was a complete disaster, so they need to strengthen their play after such an experience, and they need to do it fast, as a few bad results could take them to the fight for the relegation once again.

Almería vs Sporting Gijón - 11:00 AM EST

Last week draw took the Almeria off the relegation, but just by one point. It's been the third draw in four weeks for them, and adding one point week after week is never going to let them solve their problems. Juanma Lillo has left the last opportunities to obtain victory to escape from his hands, having said his players suffered from the "Victory-dreading disease" so let's hope he can find the antidote this week, or the murky waters of the basement may reach UD Almeria's neck.

Three consecutive defeats left Sporting at the lower end of the table. Its not only the bad results that's worrying the Rojiblancos; they were unable to pose any real threat to their rivals on the last two matches, and the team is clearly lacking offensive ideas. If they leave three points at the Estadio de los Juegos Mediterráneos, then Almeria will be just two points below the Gijonudos, and the relegation will become something to worry, so lets hope Manuel Preciado can find the key to unlock what his players are capable of.

Zaragoza vs Sevilla - 1:00 PM EST

With last week victory, Zaragoza has now reached the upper end of the table, and obtaining a good results against Sevilla could take them off the relegation from the first time in the tournament. It's been a rough year, but maybe this is the tip of a Real Zaragoza yet to be known. Sevilla will be a decisive test for the Maños, as their last encounters with the better positioned teams left a bitter aftertaste on their fans, and no one can forget the 6-0 against Real Madrid. Much will be in play for a decaying Zaragoza eager to know what it's like to reach the surface.

The present couldn't be brighter for the Rojiblancos. The victory against Valencia embedded the players with an energy that has not yet left them, and so they managed to obtain a two goal difference with Getafe for the semifinals of the Copa del Rey. With their place for the Champions League secured by the moment, the fight for such position will be fierce on the following weeks They'll have against Zaragoza the chance to show they can keep up with their momentum.

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