• The quest for European places is the focal point in the subsequent two matches, as seventh-placed Girona takes on Villarreal and Athletic Club Bilbao hosts Celta Vigo.
• Real Madrid welcome Valencia in their first match following a bitter Champions League exit midweek.
Image: XINHUA
With the La Liga title already in the bag, this weekend’s matches shift focus to the fierce battles for European spots and the struggle to avoid relegation.
The fight against relegation takes centre stage in the first match of the weekend.
Cadiz, currently fifth from the bottom, host Valladolid, fourth from the bottom, on Friday evening. Valladolid’s recent 3-0 defeat at home to Sevilla has put them just a point above the relegation zone following four consecutive losses.
They must seize this opportunity against Cadiz, who face an injury list of five sidelined players and uncertainties over the participation of Joseba Zaldua and Roger Marti.
The quest for European places is the focal point in the subsequent two matches, as seventh-placed Girona takes on Villarreal and Athletic Club Bilbao hosts Celta Vigo.
Girona’s recent draw with Real Sociedad leaves them in seventh place, on track for a spot in next season’s Conference League. Villarreal, on the other hand, coming off a 5-1 home victory over Athletic Club, sit fifth in the table, only five points behind fourth-placed Real Sociedad, who are set to visit Barcelona later in the day.
Both sides embrace open, attacking football, with Villarreal’s trio of Alex Baena, Nicolas Jackson and Samuel Chukwueze performing exceptionally well in recent weeks.
Athletic Club, despite amassing just two points from their past five games, remain eighth, only a point behind Girona. They could advance into European places if Girona fail to defeat Villarreal.
Dani Vivian is set to return from suspension, while much focus will be on Celta defender Unai Nunez, currently on loan from Athletic Club. Real Sociedad will keenly watch Villarreal’s result as they gear up to play in Camp Nou, where they will form a guard of honor for the newly crowned league champions.
Saturday also features critical matches at the bottom, with Getafe hosting Elche. Getafe must win to move out of the relegation zone. However, already-relegated Elche, after victories over Rayo Vallecano and Atletico Madrid, are playing their best football of the campaign.
Almeria, sitting two points above Getafe, need a win against mid-table Mallorca, who have neither relegation worries nor European aspirations. Espanyol, second from the bottom, must break an unfavorable streak when they visit Rayo Vallecano on Sunday. Rayo’s coach, Andoni Iraola, has won all five encounters against Espanyol. A repeat at Vallecas Stadium would push Espanyol perilously close to the second division.
Atletico Madrid need to bounce back from their surprise defeat in Elche when they face Osasuna, who trail Girona by a point and are still in the race for a place in next season’s Conference League.
Real Madrid welcome Valencia in their first match following a bitter Champions League exit midweek. After Madrid’s 4-0 defeat to Manchester City, their season is all but over. Valencia, however, three points above the relegation zone, have work to do to ensure their survival in the top flight.
The weekend concludes with a traditionally tense Seville derby as Sevilla host Real Betis. Given both teams’ aspirations for European qualification, expect a hotly contested match rife with controversy.