MY ACCOUNT
It is top versus bottom in LaLiga as runaway leaders Barcelona travel to an Elche side propping up the table.
Real Madrid know they must embark on a consistent run of victories to have even the slimmest hope of catching their rivals, starting with the visit of Real Valladolid.
Elsewhere, four European contenders are in action against one another, with Atletico Madrid taking on Real Betis and Real Sociedad heading to Villarreal.
And Valencia’s struggle to avoid the drop continues as they host Rayo Vallecano on Monday evening.
Game of the weekend: Elche vs Barcelona (Saturday, 8pm)
Elche and Barcelona go into this fixture sitting at opposite ends of the division.
Their head-to-head record suggests this is likely to be a one-sided affair — the hosts have failed to win any of their last 20 LaLiga meetings with the Catalan giants (four draws, 16 defeats).
Additionally, Xavi’s men have been impeccable away from home, winning 11 of their previous 13 league games on the road (two defeats).
The Blaugrana have scored in 12 of those 13 away matches and will feel confident of adding to that tally through talismanic striker Robert Lewandowski, who netted twice in the reverse fixture — a 3-0 win for the leaders.
Real Madrid vs Real Valladolid (Sunday, 3.15pm)
Real’s chances of retaining their LaLiga title are rapidly fading, so they will hope that a victory over Real Valladolid can spark a positive run of form.
History is on Los Blancos’ side in this fixture — they have scored in all but one of their 45 home top-flight games against Sunday’s opponents, netting 113 times in the process.
Carlo Ancelotti will hope Karim Benzema is among the goalscorers if his side maintain that positive record, with the Frenchman scoring just twice in his last six league outings — a slump by his lofty standards, given his record was nine in nine before that.
The hosts’ breakthrough may come late in the day at the Bernabeu, given Valladolid have conceded the joint-most goals of any LaLiga side in the last 15 minutes of matches (14).
Atletico Madrid vs Real Betis (Sunday, 8pm)
Atleti have turned their season around in recent weeks and go into Matchday 27 just five points behind second-placed rivals Real Madrid.
Their opponents are top four-chasing Betis, who themselves are only three points outside the Champions League spots.
Diego Simeone’s record against Los Verdiblancos is excellent, with Atleti losing just once in 20 league meetings with their upcoming opponents under his stewardship (15 wins, four draws).
However, Betis striker Borja Iglesias has scored 12 LaLiga goals this term, winning 15 points for his side in the process — more than any other player in the division. He will hope to be the catalyst for an away victory on Sunday.
Villarreal vs Real Sociedad (Sunday, 5.30pm)
Villarreal and Sociedad both have designs on a European berth and their meeting at Estadio de la Ceramica should be an entertaining affair.
Quique Setien’s hosts are in good form, with three wins and one draw in their last four league outings. In contrast, La Real have recorded just one victory in their previous seven in all competitions (four draws, two defeats).
However, the Yellow Submarine have been wasteful in the final third this term, netting 32 times from an expected goals tally of 37.5 — the second-greatest margin of underperformance in the division.
And Sociedad boss Imanol Alguacil has yet to lose away at Villarreal in LaLiga, winning two and drawing one of his three visits in the competition.
Valencia vs Rayo Vallecano (Monday, 8pm)
Valencia go into this weekend in the bottom three and will be desperate to claw their way up the table as Vallecano visit the Mestalla.
Andoni Iraola’s men have slipped away from the European places of late, failing to win any of their last six matches (four draws, two defeats) — the longest active winless streak in the competition.
The hosts, meanwhile, have won their previous two league outings on their own patch, keeping a clean sheet in both.
Los Che manager Ruben Baraja will expect a greater contribution from veteran striker Edinson Cavani, who has failed to score in any of his last seven LaLiga appearances after netting five times in his first eight games.
The weekend’s other games
Mallorca vs Osasuna (Friday, 8pm)
Girona vs Espanyol (Saturday, 1pm)
Athletic Bilbao vs Getafe (Saturday, 3.15pm)
Cadiz vs Sevilla (Saturday, 5.30pm)
Celta Vigo vs Almeria (Sunday, 1pm)
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