News
JUE 28.11.2019
Atlético de Madrid - FC Barcelona
FC Barcelona enter the most crucial period of their season so far with matches against Borussia Dortmund and Inter Milan in the Champions League bookended by LaLiga Santander matches away to Atletico de Madrid and at home to Real Madrid. Despite sitting atop the league table, the reigning champions will not be satisfied with a season that has largely been indifferent, with their three losses already matching last year’s total through just 13 games. Lionel Messi’s brilliance has once again kept the club afloat and they will be surely turning to him again on Sunday evening as they travel to the Wanda Metropolitano to take on Atletico de Madrid and arguably football’s most confronting home ground advantage. Like FC Barcelona, the hosts too have been underwhelming this season, racking up seven draws through their opening 13 games, a number that suggests they are lacking the offensive flair to turn one point into three. They have scored the fewest goals of any side in the top four and the second-fewest of any side in the top 12; with the loss of Diego Costa to neck surgery only to compound the situation. They will hope their league-best defence can stand up to the test against LaLiga Santander’s most lethal attack. Astonishingly Atletico de Madrid haven’t beaten FC Barcelona in LaLiga Santander since 2010, making it 18 games undefeated in the league for the away side.
Deportivo Alavés - Real Madrid
Real Madrid will attempt to take advantage of FC Barcelona’s trip to Atletico de Madrid to gain an advantage at the top of LaLiga Santander as the great rivals sit level on 28 points with only one goal separating the sides. Winners of three of their past four, Real Madrid have shown a stronger level of consistency this season compared to FC Barcelona and they will be looking to continue that in the lead up to their blockbuster December 18 El Clasico. Karim Benzema looks a rejuvenated player under Zinedine Zidane this season, leading Los Blancos from the front and currently two clear of Lionel Messi, Gerard Moreno and Lorenzo Garcia in the race for the golden boot. They travel to the country’s north to play D. Alaves who have registered back-to-back wins for the first time this season. D. Alaves earned their first ever LaLiga Santander win over Real Madrid in this fixture last year, shutting out their high-profile opponents 1-0 at home. They have lost their other seven fixtures against Real Madrid in Spain’s premier competition by a margin of 22-3.
Athletic Club - Granada CF
Athletic Club made it three wins from their last four games, snapping C.A. Osasuna’s stunning 31-game home winning streak with a 2-1 win in Pamplona on the weekend. Kenan Kodro’s 79th minute goal against his former side ending the greatest run in the club’s history and sending them into the bottom half of the table. Athletic Club leapt into fifth with the victory and will be looking to consolidate their place in the European positions against a Granada CF side that have capitulated since leading LaLiga Santander. Three losses and a draw has sent Granada CF tumbling into 8th and another loss could see them drop into the bottom half, a sign of how close the competition is this season. These sides last met in LaLiga Santander in the 2016/17 campaign, with Athletic Club winning both games.
Valencia CF - Villarreal CF
Valencia FC and Villarreal CF face each other sitting in unfamiliar positions for clubs of their history and pedigree, currently 10th and 12th respectively. Neither side will be happy with their form so far this season, with both sides haemorrhaging goals – the two worst defences in the top 15. Villarreal have been kept afloat by their high-powered attack, led by Gerard Moreno’s eight goals, but much like Valencia FC they have been consistently let down by conceding goals. All of that should be music to the ears of neutral fans however, with everything suggesting this should be a free-flowing, high-scoring game of football. Valencia FC won this match 3-0 last season, but Villarreal have won two of the past four games at the Mestalla.
Follow all the results and the standings from the opening round of matches in LaLiga Santander on www.livescore.com
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