Ultimate Guide to La Liga Weekend: Separating Top-4 Certainties from Challengers
The start of any La Liga season—or any domestic top flight—always brings up one or two teams that start in terrific form and quickly give false optimism to fans hoping for a big year, pundits hoping for a new side to think about in the race for Europe or to presidents and chairmen hoping not to have to sack the manager by October.
Inevitably, those teams begin to fade away as genuine quality, or lack thereof, squad depth, or lack thereof, and better opposition than the early fixtures provided get in the way of a sustained run at the top positions.
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This year in Spain, Eibar and Deportivo La Coruna made those typically interesting starts. The former are still there or thereabouts, but they will likely plummet down the table a few spots soon enough—perhaps not quite as drastically as last season, though, when they finished in the relegation positions and were only reinstated to the division because of Elche's debt-related demotion.
That will leave the typical top-four challenge to be resumed: Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid, Barcelona and one of a clutch of teams fighting among themselves for fourth.
The key difference this year? All four of the sides capable of challenging for fourth are, in fact, actually capable. They're all extremely good.
Sevilla, Valencia, Villarreal and Celta Vigo. Four clubs, three different primary formations, each with very different ways of working the transfer market and all with the capacity in key areas—technical ability, managerial quality, a genuine standout talent or two—to make fourth place their own over the course of the season. The battle between them in this campaign will be memorable, long-running and exciting.
Celta Vigo currently lead the way, sitting in third, with Villarreal (fifth, one point back from Celta), Valencia (seventh, five from Villarreal) and Sevilla (11th, three from Valencia) all chasing.
This time around, things are set for a shake-up. The challengers and contenders are pitted against each other and the established order. The big guns. The perennial title threats. None of the quartet escapes with an easy week to gain back points on the others; Matchday 11 is a big moment of truth. Can they compete? Can they produce when it matters most? Can they extend a great start into a fantastic first half-season?
Some of them have already taken impressive one-off results. Celta beat Barcelona; Villarreal beat Atletico.
Points in isolation mean little; consistency in beating rivals is where challenges—for cups, league places and trophies—are really made. By Sunday night, some of those managers, fans and groups of players could be full to the brim with optimism that this season could be their time to take fourth and reach the Champions League.
Oh, and Eibar could end the week one point off fourth.
Jornada 11 (KO times per Soccerway, GMT)
Friday
Las Palmas vs. Real Sociedad
Saturday
Celta Vigo vs. Valencia
Levante vs. Deportivo La Coruna
Eibar vs. Getafe
Rayo Vallecano vs. Granada
Malaga vs. Real Betis
Sunday
Athletic Club vs. Espanyol
Barcelona vs. Villarreal
Atletico Madrid vs. Sporting Gijon
Sevilla vs. Real Madrid
What to Watch out for This Weekend
Part 1: Returns to Fitness, Much Appreciated
Rafa Benitez will be without a few of his players on Sunday, including striker Karim Benzema because of his off-field troubles. Keylor Navas had more trouble with his groin late on against Paris Saint-Germain so will miss the match at Sevilla, meaning Kiko Casilla will be in goal again, per Marca. Marcelo went off injured in the Champions League match too, and it's unlikely he'll be risked, either, ahead of El Clasico.
James Rodriguez made his return from injury against PSG, though, which is a big boost for Real.
Barcelona got Andres Iniesta back on the pitch last time out—but have lost Ivan Rakitic as the injury merry-go-round in midfield continues. With two very tough games ahead—Villarreal on Sunday and El Clasico on Nov. 21—Luis Enrique cannot afford another injury to a key player in midfield or attack.
Part 2: Tipping Point for Moyes?
Real Sociedad's struggles this season have been well-documented, and sitting in 16th after just two wins in 10, manager David Moyes can ill afford any more poor results before stringing together a decent run.
The last thing he needs, then, is a defeat to one of La Liga's bottom clubs. That's the prospect he's facing on Friday, with La Real travelling to Las Palmas, who are 19th, have won only once and have already replaced their own manager this term. Quique Setien is looking for his first victory in his third match—he's lost one and drawn one—and a defeat at the Estadio Gran Canaria would be a complete disaster for Moyes.
It would leave Las Palmas and Real Sociedad level on points, with a horrendous run coming up for La Real thereafter: Moyes' team faces Sevilla (home), Barcelona (away) and Eibar (home) in its following three league fixtures. Defeat is simply not an option against the Canary Islanders on Friday night.
Player to Watch: Inaki Williams, Athletic Club
Back to fitness and proving he's got what it takes to push Athletic's attack in a new direction, Inaki Williams has been on fire lately. With his pace and direct running, he juxtaposes nicely the rest of the Athletic front quartet, adding a different dimension to the likes of Aritz Aduriz and Raul Garcia.
Four goals and one assist in his last four games show the end product is slowly coming on a more regular basis too. On Sunday against Espanyol, the second-leakiest defence in La Liga, expect plenty of opportunities for Williams to add to his tally of chances created and taken.
Game of the Weekend: Barcelona vs. Villarreal
For Game of the Weekend, you could take your pick from any of the three big games mentioned above. But for tempo, final-third action and likely goals, we'll opt for the fixture at Camp Nou.
Barcelona's lack of squad depth means you can almost pick the team for Luis Enrique, while Villarreal are unlikely to change too much from the side that beat Sevilla last time out in La Liga. It will be fast-paced, there will be chances at both ends and, as good as either side is in possession and the buildup, the best phases of this match could be when each sees the opportunity to counter-attack the other.
Last season, these teams produced epic games; some of the faces have changed, but the outlook and quality levels remain. It will be memorable.
Predictions and Tips
- Home wins: Celta, Eibar, Athletic and Atletico.
- Away wins: Granada and Real Madrid.
- Both to score: Barcelona vs. Villarreal, Athletic Club vs. Espanyol and Sevilla vs. Real Madrid.
