Saturday
Racing Santander (18th) v Atlético Madrid (7th) - 18.00 (local time)
âÂÂCourage! Passion! Cojones! Courage! Passion! Cojones!â has been the very clear message from Rojiblanco coach Diego Simeone since taking charge of Atlético over Christmas. To be fair, this particular mantra has been a tremendous success, with his team yet to concede a goal, never mind lose a game during the newbieâÂÂs spell. So itâÂÂs time to drop in on the Argentinean ahead of another match and see if the power-mad positive vibe has changed at all.
âÂÂI am conscious that we can give so much more than we are all giving now and we are going to demand more from ourselves,â yelled Simeone during WednesdayâÂÂs press conference. So thattâÂÂs a âÂÂnoâ then.
LLL Prediction - Away win
Osasuna (9th) v Barcelona (2nd) - 20.00
As if Real Madrid and Barcelona donâÂÂt have enough opportunities for big squabbles, another has arisen - the location of the Copa del Rey final. As ever, the Spanish FA donâÂÂt yet have a date for the show-piece event or any clue of where to play it. The mega-capacity Santiago Bernabeu would be ideal, but AS claim that this notion would be poo-pooed straight away by Real Madrid with the club giving all sorts of excuses such as security, building works and possible Champions League celebrations. However, the paperâÂÂs editor hits the mole on the head with a mop when writing that âÂÂthe reality is that they donâÂÂt want it because they donâÂÂt like the idea of Barça winning the Copa in the Bernabeu.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Away win
Betis (16th) v Athletic Bilbao (6th) - 22.00
LLL gets the feeling Javier Clemente doesnâÂÂt like Marcelo Bielsa and his fancy, passing football ways at his beloved Athletic Bilbao. In a tremendously rant-filled interview with âÂÂQuality SportâÂÂ, the former Athletic boss claims that âÂÂnothing has moved forward under Bielsa. There are no great changes. They are the same players.â The grumpy Basque so-and-so also discusses what would happen if anyone at the club tried to change the teamâÂÂs traditional âÂÂlocal club for local peopleâ transfer policy. âÂÂHe would last three weeks in Bilbao as the fans would finish him off. I would too.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Draw
Sunday
Espanyol (5th) v Zaragoza (20th) - 12.00
A special challenge for la PrimeraâÂÂs bottom-dwellers this weekend. If Zaragoza fail to win, then the team will equal the worst run in the clubâÂÂs history. Zaragoza have now contrived to go 14 matches in la Liga without a victory. Another failure this weekend will equal a record that has stood since 1943. Good work!
LLL Prediction - Home win
Málaga (8th) v Mallorca (13th) - 16.00
Due to all the excitement of MarcelinoâÂÂs sacking by Sevilla, LLL began to get a little bit carried away and thought Manuel Pellegrini was about to bite the bullet after Monday night's defeat to Granada left Málaga with just the single victory in eight games. Apparently the blog was not alone in sensing a firing in the pipeline, a whiff so big that the clubâÂÂs sporting director, Fernando Hierro, came out to speak to the press on Wednesday to deny that there was any managerial movement in MálagaâÂÂs footballing bowels.
âÂÂThere isnâÂÂt an ultimatum for Pellegrini or for anyone,â announced the former Real Madrid man. âÂÂIâÂÂve spoken five or six times with him and heâÂÂs very excited about the project.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Home win
Rayo Vallecano (12th) v Getafe (10th) - 16.00
And so GetafeâÂÂs quest to find fans continues. The least surprising news story of the week was in AS, who suggested few supporters would be making the short trip from Getafe to Vallecas to catch another Madridileño derby. However, Getafe donâÂÂt give up that easily with the paper also reporting that every punter who spends â¬40 in the club shop - although it is more of a small kiosk, to be fair - will be handed a free ticket to next weekendâÂÂs clash against Espanyol.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Valencia (3rd) v Sporting (19th) - 18.00
Valencia getting knocked out of the Copa del Rey at the semi-final stage by Barcelona sees Unai EmeryâÂÂs men now completely focussed on the Europa League and the non-existent battle from teams below to grab the sideâÂÂs solid as cement third-place perch. Sporting, meanwhile, have decided to stick with the former number two manager, Iñaki Tejada, at least until June after the recent sacking of Manuel Preciado.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Villarreal (17th) v Granada (14th) - 19.45
ItâÂÂs been two matches and two wins for Abel Resino as Granada manager, since taking over from the flat-topped, odd character that was Fabri. Curiously, the former Atlético boss is a former goalkeeper - the second in la Primera along with José Molina at Villarreal who Granada are facing this weekend - so Marca probed him thoroughly on his opinion on SpainâÂÂs current crop of goal-stopping supremos. âÂÂValdés is the goalkeeper that I like the most,â opined Resino, âÂÂI think he is the most dominant in all the areas of being a goalkeeper. Casillas is very regular and has the advantage of competing since he was very young.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Home win
Real Madrid (1st) v Levante (4th) - 21.30
There is an interesting juxtaposition in FridayâÂÂs AS, which boasts that José Mourinho has already begun to plan his teamâÂÂs next pre-season - familiarising himself with the Manchester traffic system, perhaps. On the opposite page of a spread predicting that Mourinho will be taking Real Madrid back to Los Angeles, the paper also carries an article musing over whether a move to Spurs might be an option for Mourinho what with all the kerfuffle over Harry Redknapp and Fabio Capello.
LLL Prediction - Home win
Monday
Real Sociedad (15th) v Sevilla (11th) - 21.00
As usual, the sacking of an old manager and the arrival of another has seen footballers falling in line to praise the new coach up to his knee caps. SevillaâÂÂs Manu del Moral couldnâÂÂt be happier to see MÃÂchel at the Andalusian club with the forward having played for the manager at Getafe. âÂÂIf I had to chose a coach to change this situation, then MÃÂchel without doubt is the right one,â oozed Del Moral. âÂÂAt Getafe he found a very similar situation and managed to change things around.âÂÂ
LLL Prediction - Draw
