La Liga Fixtures 2016: Schedule, Live Stream and Week 14 Predictions
The heat will be on Barcelona on Saturday in La Liga, as they welcome bitter rivals Real Madrid to the Camp Nou for a crucial Clasico showdown.
Los Blancos lead their great rivals by six points at the top of the table heading into the game and can make a major statement in pursuit of the title with a win. A nine-point buffer and a superior head-to-head record would be hugely difficult to claw back, even for a team of Barcelona’s calibre.
Elsewhere on the Week 14 schedule, Atletico Madrid will be hoping to take advantage of their title rivals meeting, as they host Espanyol, while Jorge Sampaoli’s impressive Sevilla will visit Granada in the weekend’s opening encounter.
Here are the fixtures in full, a prediction for each and a look ahead to the standout match of the weekend.
| Saturday, Dec. 3 | 12 p.m. | Granada vs. Sevilla | 1-3 |
| Saturday, Dec. 3 | 3:15 p.m. | Barcelona vs. Real Madrid | 2-2 |
| Saturday, Dec. 3 | 5:30 p.m. | Leganes vs. Villarreal | 1-2 |
| Saturday, Dec. 3 | 7:45 p.m. | Atletico Madrid vs. Espanyol | 2-0 |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | 11 a.m. | Real Betis vs. Celta Vigo | 1-2 |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | 3:15 p.m. | Athletic Bilbao vs. Eibar | 1-1 |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | 5:30 p.m. | Alaves vs. Las Palmas | 1-2 |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | 5:30 p.m. | Sporting Gijon vs. Osasuna | 1-1 |
| Sunday, Dec. 4 | 7:45 p.m. | Valencia vs. Malaga | 1-1 |
| Monday, Dec. 5 | 7:45 p.m. | Deportivo La Coruna vs. Real Sociedad | 1-2 |
Matches can be streamed via Sky Go (U.K.) and beIN Sports Connect (U.S.). Barcelona vs. Real Madrid is not available to view live in the United Kingdom.
Barcelona vs. Real Madrid Preview
For Los Blancos, being the big favourite heading into a Clasico outing is rare in recent years. This game is a huge opportunity for the team to take a key step towards their first league title since 2011-12.
Real Madrid have made encouraging progress under manager Zinedine Zidane. While he may not be privy to the kind of cavalier attacking football the club is synonymous with, the results speak for themselves; Los Blancos have excelled in the league after winning the UEFA Champions League.
Still, even for a man of his calibre and experience, the Frenchman admitted there will still be some nerves, per AS English:
In a sense, the pressure is off the visitors. A win would be tremendous and a telling blow, but if they were to lose, Barcelona would still be three points back.
The Blaugrana haven’t convinced in recent outings, either. Indeed, manager Luis Enrique suggested it was a “miracle” the team secured a 1-1 draw with Real Sociedad last weekend, so poor was their performance, as he told Barca TV (h/t Goal). Needless to say, they need to improve ahead of the visit of the league leaders.
One area of particular concern for the team as of late has been the midfield balance, so Cules across the globe will be delighted to learn that legendary playmaker Andres Iniesta is set to feature.
Even so, Spanish football journalist Rafael Hernandez feels as though other members of the team need to step up if they’re to put their problems behind them:
Naturally, there will be a lot of focus on Barca’s Lionel Messi and Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of this one, especially with the duo in tremendous recent form.
Indeed, Messi has been one of a few positives for Luis Enrique as of late, as he’s looked to haul Barcelona through this concerning downturn in form.
Meanwhile, Ronaldo has found his goalscoring touch in recent games, and after a hat-trick against Atletico Madrid a fortnight ago, he will be out to shine in another massive game.
Per the OptaJose Twitter feed, as is standard for this illustrious duo, they’re among the most effective attacking players in the division this season:
Even without the likes of Gareth Bale, Toni Kroos and Alvaro Morata, Madrid will fancy their chances of winning. Under Zidane, they’re extremely difficult to beat, having lost just once in league matches since he took over.
But Barcelona will inevitably raise their game, and in Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez, they possess three players that can alter the course of a contest in an instant. Iniesta will make a huge difference to the way they operate, too, and subsequently, Barca will have enough to secure a draw.
Prediction: Barcelona 2-2 Real Madrid
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