02.10.2010 13:06
Spanish League Preview Week 6
La Liga leaders Valencia entertain Bilbao on Saturday night, whilst second place Villarreal, Barça and Real Madrid all have home games on Sunday. Gregorio Manzano makes his home league debut with Seville, when they take on Atletico Madrid, also on Su
Leaders take on Bilbao
Valencia will want to put their midweek European mugging by Man Utd behind them on Saturday
night when Atletico Bilbao visit the Mestalla, but it’s actually been Emery’s
team’s away record –three wins from three- that have taken them to the top, with just a
single win and a draw at home, whilst Bilbao have proved more successful on the road than at their
traditional stronghold San Mames, having taken four of their seven points from their two trips so
far this season. Valencia will be without long term injuries Banega and Vicente, as well as Joaquim
and Maduro. For Bilbao, Amorabieta is suspended after last week’s red against Barça, but
Caparros can call on striker Toquero to back up the battering ram that is Fernando Llorente, with
ex-Atletic striker Aduriz likely to start up front for Valencia alongside Soldado.
Tamudo faces Espanyol
Espanyol face another Basque team earlier on Saturday when they travel to Donostia to meet
Real Sociedad. A win could take Pochetino’s men into second place, but they will need to
improve on their miserable away record so far this season – they’ve lost both games on
the road and have yet to score – as well as overcome their ex-captain Raul Tamudo, who has
been showing the Barcelona team what they are missing by already scoring three for his new club so
far this season. Osvaldo is likely to be back for Espanyol, with Alvaro returning to the bench
after last week’s heroics, whilst Real will look to Tamudo and Joseba Llorente up front to
put an end to their three game losing streak. Saturday’s fixtures kick off with a trip to
bottom club Zaragoza by Sporting Gijon. Zaragoza have yet to win a game this season and will go
into the game against Sporting without injured keeper Leo Franco and ex-Barça midfielder Edmilson.
Villarreal on winning run
After defeat to Real Sociedad on the opening weekend of the season, Villarreal have since won
four in a row and boosted by their midweek Europa League win over Bruges, they’ll be hoping
to keep the pressure on Valencia, who are a single point ahead of them, with a win at home to
Racing. Racing’s manager Miguel Angel Portugal reckons: “Villarreal are the best
football playing team in the league after Barça”. At the other end of that spectrum, Real
Madrid desperately need to convince their home fans with a good performance against Deportivo, who
will be without the injured Valeron, on Sunday and have yet to score on the road this season.
Sanchez Pijuan debut for Manzano
Following his successful start in midweek against Dortmund, Gregorio Manzano makes his
Sanchez Pijuan debut with a tough game against Atletico Madrid who are sweating on the fitness of
Kun Aguero, whilst Reyes is suspended and misses the trip back to one of his many ex-clubs. In
other games, Osasuna take on Levante in Pamplona, Almeria entertain Malaga in the Andaluz derby and
Getafe host Hercules, who could conceivably move into the top five if they can beat Michel’s
team.