La Liga Fixtures 2015 Week 19: Schedule, Live Stream Info, Picks and Key Players
There is a Madrid-based derby and a crucial game in the battle to avoid relegation on the fixture list during Week 19 of the 2014-15 Primera Liga season.
Leaders Real Madrid will make the short trip to Getafe with a one-point lead over closest rivals Barcelona, who are away to Deportivo La Coruna. Third-placed Atletico Madrid are at home to bottom club Granada, with all three of those games being played on Sunday, Jan. 18.
The big game at the bottom sees 19th-placed Elche, who moved off the foot of the table during Week 18, play 18th-placed Levante at home. Here’s the full schedule for Week 19, including full picks and live stream info.
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| Friday, Jan. 16 | 7.45 p.m. | Cordoba | Eibar | BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Draw |
| Saturday, Jan. 17 | 3 p.m. | Real Sociedad | Rayo Vallecano | BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Sociedad |
| Saturday, Jan. 17 | 5 p.m. | Valencia | Almeria | BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Valencia |
| Saturday, Jan. 17 | 7 p.m. | Villarreal | Athletic Bilbao | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Villarreal |
| Saturday, Jan. 17 | 9 p.m. | Espanyol | Celta Vigo | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Draw |
| Sunday, Jan. 18 | 11 a.m. | Getafe | Real Madrid | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Real |
| Sunday, Jan. 18 | 4 p.m. | Atletico Madrid | Granada | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Atletico |
| Sunday, Jan. 18 | 6 p.m. | Deportivo La Coruna | Barcelona | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Barcelona |
| Sunday, Jan. 18 | 8 p.m. | Elche | Levante | BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Elche |
| Sunday, Jan. 18 | 8 p.m. | Sevilla | Malaga | Sky Go (UK)/BeIN Sports Connect (US) | Sevilla |
To access beIN Sports' Connect app, click here
For Sky Go, click here
Key Players
Gareth Bale, Real Madrid
It has been quite an interesting week for Gareth Bale. He was jeered by Real Madrid fans after failing to pass to Cristiano Ronaldo during the 3-0 home win over Espanyol, per the Press Association (h/t The Guardian).
Ronaldo, who would have had a simple chance to score, initially seemed unhappy, judging by his immediate reaction to the incident (h/t @dermotcorrigan):
However, he showed there are no hard feelings when he urged Real fans to lay off Bale. Speaking before he won the Ballon d’Or for the third time, Ronaldo said, per Sky Sports: “Madrid fans are always the same, they are very intense, they show what they feel, they aren't liars. But I think the things with Gaz are normal because they know that Gaz is a very important player for us, a key player.”
Bale also received support for his apparent selfishness from Ronaldo’s former Manchester United team-mate Phil Neville:
"Just seen the Gareth Bale chance he was criticised for missing yesterday-don't think Ronaldo would've squared it in same same situation!
— Philip Neville (@fizzer18) January 11, 2015"
Real coach Carlo Ancelotti, per the Press Association (h/t The Guardian), certainly doesn't want selfishness to be a prevalent feature of Bale’s game: “Altruism is a very important component of the team. If there is any play which seems selfish we’ll clearly fix it. We have fans who demand a lot. Bale is a fundamental player like Cristiano and for that the fans demand much more than of others.”
With a record of eight goals and three assists in his 14 La Liga appearances this season, per WhoScored.com, Bale has shown his worth to Real.
And as Ancelotti says, Bale is clearly still a key player for Real. But it is highly likely to be a big game in his Real career against Getafe on Sunday. If he gets in the same position again, will he try to score himself or attempt to set up an easier opportunity for a team-mate?
Luis Suarez, Barcelona
It has been a slow start to his Barcelona career on the goalscoring front for Luis Suarez, but things may be about to change.
Suarez’s first goal in La Liga came in his eighth appearance, per WhoScored.com, when he scored in the 5-0 win over Cordoba just before Christmas.
He has since followed that up with a goal against Elche in the first leg of the Copa del Rey round of 16 and another goal in the 3-1 win over Atletico Madrid. He will hope to continue that run against Deportivo on Sunday.
Speaking over the Christmas period, Suarez wasn't worried by his lack of goals, telling the club’s official website:
"A forward always has to help the team, either with assists or goals. I am obviously a striker who likes to score a lot of goals and have done that in every team I have been with.
I’m not scoring much at the moment, but I’m sure that with help from my colleagues, the goals will come. But as long as the team is winning important games as it is, then I’ll be happy whether I score or not.
"
Two goals in his 10 appearances in La Liga so far make it easy to gloss over the fact Suarez has also created six goals for his team-mates. He also produced a superb pass to set up Neymar to score in the 5-0 win over Elche.
Adam Bate, writing for Sky Sports, examined the problems Suarez has faced since his move to Barcelona from Liverpool. He writes that Suarez is having to adjust to a new position against the backdrop of unrest at the club following Andoni Zubizarreta's departure as sporting director.
It seems now, though, that Suarez is starting to get back into his goalscoring groove. If he allies that to his ability to create chances for his team-mates, then Suarez will be key to helping Barcelona catch Real Madrid in the title race.
