FCBARCELONA.CAT

02.01.2010 11:40

Spanish League Preview –Week 16

Barca could find themselves five points clear at the top tonight if they beat Villarreal, with Madrid not playing until late on Sunday night when they take on Osasuna in Pamplona.

The league returns after the Christmas break and Real Madrid face a tough start to 2010 with a visit to Pamplona on Sunday night. Ex-Madrid star and coach Camacho will look to test his old team who are again without Guti and Van Nistelroy, whilst Kaka remains doubtful. Seville are seven points adrift of Madrid in third place and cannot afford to slip up in their game against Atletico in Madrid. For Seville, Luis Fabiano is injured and Kanoute and Zokoro are away at the African Nations Cup, whilst Sergio Sanchez has been warned to stop playing as he has a heart condition. Atletico risk slipping into the bottom three if they can’t get a result, but will be without Aguero for the game.

Fight for fourth

Valencia lie fourth a point behind Seville on 29, but failed to win in their last two games of 2009 and Mallorca(27), Deportivo(27) and Bilbao(26) are all breathing down their necks. Emery’s team need a win against Espanyol to maintain their Champions League spot, but Pochettino’s side will have been boosted by their win against Almeria, though they are still without De la Peña and Tamudo. Mallorca and Atletico Bilbao meet in the Balearics on Sunday, where the home team boast seven wins out of seven and Deportivo travel to the struggling Zaragoza who appointed Nayim as assistant coach over the holidays.

New Year -new manager

Almeria’s new boss Juanma Lillo starts the job of pulling the team out of the relegations battle with a home game against bottom club Jerez, whilst fellow strugglers Malaga face a difficult trip to Sporting. Racing meanwhile, play Tenerife in Santander: Racing have yet to win at home, whilst Tenerife have the worst away record in the league, having lost 6 and drawn just the once. In the weekend’s other game, Getafe entertain Valladolid.