Storylines to Follow in La Liga This Weekend: Another Huge Test for Real Madrid
With just three match weeks to go, everything in La Liga is still to be played for: silverware, European spots and relegation or survival.
We have taken our usual look at the upcoming matches and identified the biggest areas and ongoing situations to watch out for, the players or teams who bear scrutinising and how the league table could be affected over the weekend.
Here are our storylines to watch out for in Spain's top flight this time around.
26 Wins in 28 Games for Barcelona Since First Game of 2015...vs. Real Sociedad
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A 1-0 win for the home team at Anoeta Stadium saw criticism of Luis Enrique and his decision to leave the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar on the bench for Barcelona and questions over whether he could manage the team to success—despite it being a first loss in a dozen games.
Since then Barcelona have been scintillating.
Long stretches of victories have been broken up only by a surprise loss at home to Malaga and a draw away to Sevilla, with everyone else along the way falling to the collective sword sharpened by Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.
Real Sociedad are back in town this weekend and will be hoping they can provide yet another big shock to put the brakes on Barca's title charge.
Real Madrid's Second Big Test and a Pivotal Week for the Top Four
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The hard-fought win at Sevilla last weekend for Real Madrid was exciting—end-to-end—and ultimately a precious three points—and they have to do it all over again this time, at home against Valencia.
Every game for Real is like a final now; lose and they know they are out (Champions League and La Liga, for that matter), win and they can continue with hopes of silverware.
Los Che are far better defensively than Sevilla: organised, committed and with real quality in goal, at centre-back and in midfield. They are equipped to be one of the best teams next season and still have their own fight going on for a top-four finish, so there will be no easy passage to three points for Real Madrid.
But...they do have some of the world's best talent of their own. It promises to be another amazing encounter to watch.
The Bottom Two Clash
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Straight down to the opposite end now, and while Cordoba said goodbye to La Liga last weekend with a crushing 8-0 defeat to Barcelona, Granada are clinging on to hope by the skin of their teeth.
It's last-chance saloon for them, though: The first game on Saturday afternoon sees 19th host 20th, with Granada knowing they have absolutely no choice but to win. Three points will take them level with 17th-place Eibar for a while at least, but anything less is suicide with Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid to play in their last two games.
In each of the last five matchweeks, at least one of the bottom eight (all in the dogfight up until a week or two back) has picked up a victory. Granada must make sure it's them who does it this time, having beaten Getafe last week to give themselves at least a fighting chance.
Potential Advantage Almeria in the Relegation Battle
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Ignoring the game with the bottom two for a moment, Elche guaranteed survival last week, and Cordoba were relegated.
That leaves two spots to go down and five teams still battling away...though you could add a sixth, Getafe, if results go against them this weekend, having already lost four on the bounce and being now just six points outside the relegation zone.
The fixtures this weekend may just give Almeria, currently 16th, a chance to escape the immediate pressure.
They are at home to Malaga who are in freefall, unambitious and lacking a scoring touch, with Almeria having won two and drawn one of their last three home games. Three points here would be huge for them—they could potentially be five points clear with two matches left to play.
Massively out-of-form Eibar play Espanyol, Deportivo La Coruna are at Athletic Bilbao, Levante face Atletico Madrid at home and Getafe are away to Rayo Vallecano on Monday night.
Predictions? Defeats for all four of them.
Villarreal's Chance to Break Their Winless Run
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Villarreal would have been hoping to battle for a cup and the top four this season. Up until March or so, they did both—but have since collapsed spectacularly.
Since then it's one win in 14, none in 11 and just the one goal scored in open play in eight games—an admittedly spectacular one from Jaume Costa last weekend. Even so, it only got them a draw at Depor. This time out, though, they'll face a team in good form, but with less to play for.
Elche guaranteed survival last week after taking a fourth win in five games, so Villarreal won't have to worry about coming up against a side battling for their lives as they did last time out. Freedom of stress on both sides should make for a decent game—and maybe the Yellow Submarine can actually pick up three points.
Top-Half Challenge
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Elsewhere in La Liga, the fight to finish in the top half, for prestige and prize money, goes on.
Athletic Bilbao's draw at Atletico Madrid pushed them into seventh last week, a season-long high, while Celta Vigo, Espanyol and Real Sociedad are all fighting for positions too. Rayo Vallecano are outsiders for a top-half finish, but their attacking instincts mean it is certainly possible.
The game to watch involving one of these sides this weekend is likely Celta vs. Sevilla, as the Andalusians renew their top-four challenge after the setback to Real Madrid, while Celta themselves have lost only two of the last eight—against Real and Barcelona.
