MY ACCOUNT
Barcelona need to get back to winning ways but the Catalans will have their work cut out against Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid’s faint title hopes hinge on the Blaugrana dropping points, so Los Blancos need to be ruthless when they face Celta Vigo on Saturday.
Elsewhere, Real Sociedad must avoid defeat to guarantee their spot in the top four for another week as they prepare to host Rayo Vallecano.
Real Betis and Villarreal are each hoping to break into the Champions League places — they visit Osasuna and Sevilla this weekend.
Game of the weekend: Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid (Sunday, 3.15pm)
Barcelona may be sitting pretty at the top of LaLiga but Xavi will be insisting on a reaction against Atletico Madrid, after some poor recent performances.
The Blaugrana have failed to score in any of their last three games across all competitions, so need star striker Robert Lewandowski to recapture his previously stellar form.
The Pole has registered a respectable four goals and two assists in his last 10 LaLiga games — but those numbers still represent a significant drop-off from the 13 goals and four assists he managed in his previous 15 league outings for the club. His shot conversion rate has also fallen from 23.6% to 9.5%.
Atleti talisman Antoine Griezmann, meanwhile, has netted five times in his previous eight league outings. Los Colchoneros are the only team in the competition with two players who have hit double figures for goals this term in Griezmann (11) and Alvaro Morata (10).
Real Madrid vs Celta Vigo (Saturday, 8pm)
Real Madrid are long shots for the LaLiga title but Carlo Ancelotti’s men will keep fighting until retaining their crown becomes mathematically impossible.
Next up is a home clash with Celta Vigo, who have failed to win any of their previous 17 league encounters with Real (15 defeats, two draws), losing the last five in a row. They have also kept just one clean sheet in 56 away meetings in the competition (six wins, six draws, 44 defeats).
Real midfielder Toni Kroos has scored over a quarter of his 21 LaLiga goals against Celta, netting six times against them in 14 matches.
However, Iago Aspas has been involved in eight goals across 17 league appearances against Los Blancos — though he is yet to end up on the winning side.
Real Sociedad vs Rayo Vallecano (Saturday, 5.30pm)
Rayo Vallecano had looked like surprise European contenders but a recent eight-game winless run saw them drift out of contention.
They snapped that streak with a victory last time out though, ahead of a stern test against fourth-placed Real Sociedad this weekend.
Both sides boast strikers with impressive league records against their upcoming opponents who will be keen to add to their personal tallies for the sake of their teams.
La Real’s Alexander Sorloth has netted in each of his two meetings with Rayo, while Radamel Falcao has scored five times in six clashes with Sociedad.
Osasuna vs Real Betis (Saturday, 1pm)
Real Betis go into this weekend just three points off fourth place — a win over mid-table Osasuna could lift them into the Champions League places if Real Sociedad slip to defeat.
Los Verdiblancos are unbeaten in their last nine LaLiga meetings with Saturday’s opponents, but were knocked out of this season’s Copa del Rey by Jagoba Arrasate’s side in the last-16 stage.
Betis forward Juanmi has seven goals in 12 fixtures against Osasuna — he has only struck more times against Levante (eight).
Manuel Pellegrini has a personal record of his own to extend against Osasuna. He boasts his longest 100% LaLiga winning streak against them (five games), while Arrasate is yet to pick up a point when facing the experienced Chilean.
Sevilla vs Villarreal (Sunday, 8pm)
Sevilla’s LaLiga season has been a dire disappointment but they will come into this game with a spring in their step after a 3-0 win over a hapless Manchester United side booked a Europa League semi-final spot.
Villarreal, meanwhile, sit sixth ahead of this weekend but are just four points off a Champions League place and must bounce back from the blow they suffered against Real Valladolid last time out.
Lucas Ocampos will be hoping his home streak against the Yellow Submarine in LaLiga continues. He has scored twice and registered one assist in just two clashes in Seville.
Jose Luis Morales, meanwhile, has netted three times and added an assist in his last three league meetings with Sevilla including his spell with Levante. Villarreal will certainly be hoping that he can add to those tallies.
The weekend’s other games
Espanyol vs Cadiz (Friday, 8pm)
Almeria vs Athletic Bilbao (Saturday, 3.15pm)
Real Valladolid vs Girona (Saturday, 5.30pm)
Elche vs Valencia (Sunday, 1pm)
Mallorca vs Getafe (Sunday, 5.30pm)
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