6 Storylines to Follow in La Liga for Weekend of March 6-9
After a midweek lineup of Copa del Rey semi-finals in Spain, La Liga action returns at the weekend with another 10 games that will go some way to shaping the final table.
We've taken a look at the major themes and storylines that could crop up, within individual fixtures and groupings of games affecting the same part of the league table alike. We start with the potential return of a superstar and a massive matchday at the bottom.
Here are our storylines to watch in Spain's top flight this weekend.
Real Madrid Looking to Stay Clear at the Top...with Luka Modric?
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Real Madrid only took a point from their match with Villarreal last time out, but it was enough to keep them top and came against a very decent opponent—not a bad result in truth.
On Saturday, they travel to Athletic Bilbao, a team on an improved run—just one defeat in six in La Liga has seen them move into the top half—and coming off the back of a successful Copa del Rey semi-final result that will have seen confidence surge.
Real, though, will be hoping for a big boost of their own: the return of Luka Modric.
Per Marca, there is a chance he will be included in Real's squad list for the game, having taken part in training with his team-mates all week. Sooner or later, the Croatian will be back and aiding Real's title push.
3 Crunch Relegation Games
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Down at the bottom end of the table, there are three games to keep an eye on that provide the chance for teams to gain points or be cast adrift.
Friday night sees Levante take on Eibar in a game that pits 18th and the most in form of the bottom four or five clubs against 13th and rapidly dropping. Eibar are on a run of six straight defeats and cannot afford another here with Barcelona to come the following week. Recently in the top half, they are now dropping right into the relegation battle at the wrong time.
Elsewhere, the two teams directly above the dotted line, Elche and Almeria, do battle on Saturday, with both teams having lost just once in their last four outings. Is a point each enough? Elche will surely be looking to take a win at home, and victory could open up a five-point buffer to the relegation zone for the successful team.
Finally, Monday night's fixture is Cordoba—bottom, with six losses in a row—against Getafe—probably doing enough on a month-to-month basis to stay safe but still only four points above the drop zone.
Big stakes, big pressure and big points to be won.
Goals Galore to See Between Barcelona and Rayo Vallecano
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Two all-out-attacking teams of very different levels of ability clash on Saturday, with Barcelona set to host Rayo Vallecano.
Barca have the second-most prolific attack in La Liga with 70 goals scored in 25 games, and they have one of Europe's best attacking trios at their disposal. Rayo tend to know their defence is not so hot and thus go on the front foot themselves whenever possible. With attacking talents such as Alberto Bueno and Gael Kakuta in good form, they will always look to get the ball down and into the final third as fast as possible.
Rayo won 4-2 last time out, while Barcelona have scored at least three goals in four of their last five league games. It should be a goal fest—probably with the home team netting the majority.
3rd or 4th?
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A big clash in the race for the Champions League places sees Atletico Madrid host Valencia on Sunday.
Atleti are third but just one point above Los Che, needing a positive result after one win in the last three pretty much ended their title hopes. Now, they need to ensure they stay above Valencia to secure an automatic group-stage entry into next season's Champions League.
Valencia, meanwhile, will be hoping their good recent run of four consecutive wins continues. Fourth is probably theirs, but third is in Nuno's sights now, and his team will go all out to ensure they get it before the spending and rebuilding continues in the summer.
Matchup of the Offensive-Minded, Free-Flowing Teams
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Two teams with not too much to play for, Villarreal and Celta Vigo, face off on Sunday.
Both sides are excellent technical teams, love to get the ball down, pass it around quickly and use quality forward play to fashion chances. Villarreal are all but certain of a Europa League place, unless they disastrously collapse in the wake of their Copa del Rey semi-final defeat to Barcelona, while Celta's revival has pushed them inside the top eight.
It should be a tremendous match for viewers, full of good football and no shortage of chances on goal.
Moyes Still Needing Wins, Espanyol Having to Bounce Back
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A fairly mid-table game on Sunday sees Real Sociedad, still getting to grips with David Moyes' style, host Espanyol.
Both teams could do with a win. Moyes and La Real have taken too few victories since he arrived and won just one in the last five. Although they shouldn't struggle in the relegation battle, they are only five points above the dotted line. Better is required.
For Espanyol, they have to overcome the bitterness of losing out to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey semi-final and bounce back as quickly as possible to ensure a good campaign so far does not peter out. A top-half finish and the semi-final would make it a fine 2014-15—so a big performance is needed here.
