The International break is over, and Matchday 4 in La Liga promises to fill the void of excitement left by the past ten days without top tier football in Spain.
Atlético Madrid is the undisputed leader after three weeks. Simeone's crew has won each and every one of their games, but they have only done so each time by a one-goal margin. Their clash against Real Sociedad should give fans and experts a good idea about their real chances of success in the competition.
Barcelona has only collected four points during the season, and things don't seem to be getting anye easier for Los Culés due to Lionel Messi's potential absence. Facing Valencia at home is not an easy task, but doing so without their main man is set to complicate things a bit more for Valverde's men.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid will try to win their first home game of the season when they host Levante. Los Blancos will not have Bale around, which could be a massive blow for Zidane's men, but the possibility of watching Eden Hazard's debut in La Liga should be a good enough reason to keep track of this game.
Without further ado, here's what La Liga's Matchday 4 has to offer for your viewing pleasure.
Team news - Who's in, who's out?
Barcelona will face Saturday's match against Valencia without Lionel Messi, Ousmané Dembelé and goalkeeper Neto. All of these absences could be extended for quite a bit.
Atlético Madrid will try to win three more points without three players.Sime Vrsaljko has been ruled out for quite some time, while Alvaro Morata and Thomas Partey will be assessed before the game to determine their availability.
Real Madrid will have to make do without up to five players, as Marco Asensio, Luka Modric and Isco have been ruled out for this clash. Winger Brahím Díaz may have a shot at making the squad, while Gareth Bale sits this one out after being sent off against Villarreal on September 1.
Coach's quotes ahead of Matchday 4
One of the biggest surprises during the start of the season is Athletic Club's performance. The Basque side is currently second behind Atlético, but even if the team's supporters are quite confident about their chances of keeping that form, coach Gaizka Garitano urged them to keep calm, especially when they have to face Mallorca this weekend.
"It would be a mistake to think we've already achieved something. We had a good start, but that's it. The competition and the games we have left will put us where we belong. Three games is not enough to analyze our performance".
Key historical stats ahead of La Liga's Matchday 4
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Barcelona enters this weekend on an eight-game winning streak at Camp Nou.
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Atlético Madrid has won three of their last five trips to Real Sociedad's stadium, all of them with similar 2-0 scores.
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Valencia became the first team to sack their coach, as Marcelino García Toral was fired on Wednesday. Former U-21 coach for Spain Albert Celades will be in charge for Los Naranjeros on Saturday's game.
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Real Madrid has won five of their last six games at the Bernabeu against Levante. The Granota side claimed all the points in their last trip to the Spanish capital with a 2-1 score in October, 2018.
What is social media talking about ahead of Matchday 4?
Reports this week suggested that Lionel Messi could leave Barcelona on a free transfer by the end of the season, which sparked rage from fans and had them questioning why Messi would like to leave. Before Matchday 4, Messi clarified those rumors and dismissed any chance of leaving the club next summer.
Lionel Messi wants to win, either at Barcelona or somewhere else. (via @ESPNFC) pic.twitter.com/Ae9EJ8KqSe
— ESPN (@espn) September 12, 2019
La Liga - Matchday 4 games
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