Ultimate Guide to La Liga Weekend: Contrasting Fortunes of Real Madrid, Sevilla
La Liga has enjoyed a busy week, and matches will have been played on every day except one from Friday, 18 to Sunday, 27. Three gameweeks in a matter of days have given teams a chance to solidify early-season form, rack up the points quickly and push up the table—or become aware that things need to change soon if they're not in for a long, hard season.
Rafa Benitez took criticism over the summer for Real Madrid's perceived lack of goals and performances—you'd think by now people would accept pre-season doesn't give the greatest indication of the year ahead—yet his side is sitting pretty at the top of the table, undefeated five games in with only one goal conceded.
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The club in general also took some scathing comments after a summer of decreased transfer activity and the collapse of the David De Gea move, yet the squad is stronger than ever and, importantly, every player looks set to play a role of one kind or another.
At the opposite end of the scale, Sevilla were drawing praise and acclaim from all quarters for what looked like another summer of excellent transfer activity—here included, although concerns were noted over the attack. As it turns out, that's exactly where the problem has been, and for some reason, the summer signings have barely been called upon.
A shocking 2-0 defeat in midweek against newly promoted Las Palmas left Sevilla rock bottom of La Liga, without a win and having scored just twice in five games.
A report in Marca noted how the likes of Fernando Llorente and Ciro Immobile haven't started well while also criticising the Italian forward for leaving the pitch without hurry or worry when substituted as his team trailed to Las Palmas. Getting two of last season's stars, Grzegorz Krychowiak and Benoit Tremoulinas, back in form is another priority according to Marca.
It's still early in the season, perhaps too early to draw sweeping conclusions about how the entire season will pan out. Teams have roared back strongly from worse starts than Sevilla have made, and they can certainly still trouble the top six if things click into gear—though there is definitely a transition in place between creating chances from the direct, pacy play of Carlos Bacca to the slower, less clinical style of Immobile and co.
Perhaps, though, looking at Real's minimal additions and Sevilla's sweeping changes, there is something to be said for stability and planning—or at least acknowledging the danger of several changes being fine as long as one, in a key position, doesn't fail.
"Congratulations, we are growing as a team," were Benitez's words upon hitting the top of the table in midweek, per Marca. AS, meanwhile, noted the Spanish manager had made a better start to the season than predecessors Carlo Ancelotti and Jose Mourinho managed during their respective spells in charge.
Sevilla at home to Rayo Vallecano and Real at home to Malaga: Both of those are fixtures in which it would normally be expected the three points will go to the hosts.
Benitez will fully expect that to be the case, but it's now a necessity for Unai Emery as much as a slightly desperate hope that something finally goes right.
Jornada 6 (BST kick-off times listed on Soccerway)
Friday
Valencia vs. Granada
Saturday
Barcelona vs. Las Palmas
Real Madrid vs. Malaga
Sevilla vs. Rayo Vallecano
Villarreal vs. Atletico Madrid
Eibar vs. Celta Vigo
Sunday
Sporting Gijon vs. Real Betis
Deportivo La Coruna vs. Espanyol
Getafe vs. Levante
Real Sociedad vs. Athletic Bilbao
What to Watch out for This Week
Part 1: The Big Basque Derby
The last match of the weekend takes place on Sunday night at Anoeta, where Real Sociedad host Athletic Bilbao in the first Basque derby of the season.
Neither team has made a tremendous start to the campaign, with La Real only picking up their first win in midweek and David Moyes clearly having problems merging the natural talent his front four provides with his own structured approach to setting up the team. Injuries and suspensions have also held them back, but the team are on such a poor run of results stretching back to last season they can ill afford a negative result against fierce rivals.
Athletic have also managed a single victory so far, over Getafe, but their last two games have been against Villarreal and Real Madrid, top-six teams last term and joint-top at present. Athletic are the more solid, physical side and have individuals who can win a match in a moment, especially if the defence has its first-choice quartet in place.
Two points separate the teams at present, and both are languishing in the bottom half as they did for most of last season. A win in the derby could kick-start the campaign for either.
Part 2: Where Does Luis Enrique Rotate Next?
Barcelona have been knocked back in their attempts to register Arda Turan before January, so it's a thin squad for Luis Enrique to play with until then. On Sunday, the boss switched things by benching Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Andres Iniesta and Sergi Roberto. In midweek, it was the turn of Ivan Rakitic to sit out while Alba missed out altogether through injury.
Barca play Las Palmas at home on Saturday with Bayer Leverkusen and Sevilla to come within a week; naturally the assumption must be that it will be against the newly promoted outfit that the manager attempts to rest one or two faces, even though his team needs a strong reaction to the 4-1 loss to Celta Vigo last time out.
The manager recently spoke about the upcoming game and the challenge of keeping players fit, per Marca:
"The options that I have are those that I have, it's as simple as that, I don't wish for anything else. This is my squad of players, and I'm delighted with what I've got. After losing 4-1, I won't go away happy, but we will reflect on this, analyse things and the real test now is to see how we cope.
"
In terms of players whose turn it is to sit out against Las Palmas, Javier Mascherano has played every minute in La Liga so far. It is possible Sergi Roberto could again start in midfield if Andres Iniesta is rested, with Dani Alves back in at right-back, but Barcelona only really have any kind of depth at centre-back and full-back.
Some of the back four, such as Mascherano and Sergi, may have to play further forward if the front six are to be rotated out without younger players being relied upon for considerable game time over the coming months.
Video of the Week
For those who missed the midweek action, here are the goals from Celta Vigo's resounding 4-1 win over Barcelona, featuring fast attacking play and huge gaps in the Barca defence.
Player to Watch: Karim Benzema, Real Madrid
With five goals already this season, Karim Benzema has been a big beneficiary of Rafa Benitez's slight switches in style and personnel. Last term, Benzema scored in spells, having runs of games in which he hit the target with regularity and a big stretch in the winter when league goals were hard to come by.
Consistency will be key for him if he is to maintain his place in the team and importance to Benitez's tactics, and against a strong defence such as Malaga's—a team that's awful in attack but has only conceded three times so far this term—Benzema's movement inside the box and one-touch finishing ability could be key.
His brace at Athletic in midweek showed his timing and confidence are as high as ever.
Game of the Weekend: Villarreal vs. Atletico Madrid
The Basque derby will be a fiery and important affair, but for top-end football and offensive play, Villarreal versus Atletico Madrid is the big one this time around. Villarreal are one of the joint-top sides, still unbeaten, while Atleti are just a point further back, and their single non-victory this season was a loss to reigning champions Barcelona.
There are plenty of subplots here: Leo Baptistao is on loan at the home team from Atletico, Luciano Vietto is struggling for game time and form having left the Yellow Submarine for the Colchoneros in the summer and so on. Sergio Asenjo, former Atleti 'keeper, is still sidelined by injury for Villarreal.
The match itself though should simply be a fascinating spectacle, pitting two 4-4-2 teams (although of very different styles) and two managers who have lots of good final-third players to choose from against each other.
Predictions
- Sevilla record a first victory of the season to leave Malaga and Levante as the only teams without a win.
- Sporting will win the battle of the promoted teams.
- Red cards in the games at Anoeta and the Santiago Bernabeu.
- Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi both on the scoresheet.
