Liga Contenders Looking to Close Gap with Barcelona

By Ibrahim El-Shawarby and Maydaa Abo El-Nadar

MADRID, Feb. 14 (SEE) - Barcelona will have their eyes on a big three points against visitors R. Valladolid on Saturday night, coming into the game on the back two successive draws in LaLiga Santander.

The game at the Camp Nou will also be

extra special for Ronaldo Nazario, now president of Valladolid, who won

LaLiga’s pichichi topscorer award

during his stint at Barcelona in 1996/97.

Real

Madrid, meanwhile, are going for a sixth consecutive

LaLiga victory at home when they face Girona

on Sunday lunchtime with key players including Vinicius Junior and Karim

Benzema bang in form. Santi Solari’s side moved second in the table following

last weekend’s 3-1 derby victory at Atletico de Madrid, while an out-of-form

Girona have fallen to just one point above the drop zone.

Atletico, who dropped into third, make the short trip across the Spanish

capital to Rayo Vallecano on Saturday afternoon for a second city derby, with both

teams looking to get back on track after defeats in their last two league

outings.

The weekend’s action kicks off Friday

evening with the meeting of two of LaLiga’s most in-form sides. Eibar are unbeaten in their last eight

home games at Ipurua including 3-0 victories in their last two, while Getafe have won three of their last

five LaLiga games to climb to fifth in the table.

Saturday’s early game is a relegation

six-pointer at Balaidos where 17th placed RC Celta will hope to build on three points in their last home game

as they welcome a Levante side who

need a result after losing four on the bounce away from home.

Saturday afternoon has Real Sociedad hosting Leganes

with the hosts allowing the visitors to wear their usual blue and white colours

at Anoeta, a friendly gesture to repay Leganes having helped them out by doing

similar last term.

Valencia host Espanyol on Sunday

afternoon with both teams having improved results in recent weeks. Los Che

are now unbeaten in five in LaLiga Santander and climbing steadily towards the

top four.

Later on Sunday fourth-placed Sevilla, aiming to strengthen their

grip on the final Champions League qualification spot, visit a Villarreal side whose performances have

improved lately but are still looking for their first victory of 2019.

The battle for European competition next

year will also be uppermost in minds at the Benito Villamarin on Sunday

evening, where seventh-placed Real Betis host an Alaves side just three points and one place above the Andalusians

in the table.

Monday’s game sees bottom team Huesca look to continue their

impressive upswing with a third straight LaLiga victory when they welcome Athletic Club to El Alcoraz. Athletic will be confident after recent good

results themselves, including last weekend’s 0-0 at home to Barça.